“Send Ed a Message” was the campaign slogan and send a message the Wildrose Alliance did during the tight race in the Calgary-Glenmore byelection last night.
Paul Hinman said the by-election was a symbolic moment for the Wildrose Alliance, a sentiment echoed by party leaders.
“Well, we’ve already won with Diane Colley-Urquhart failing to win. That I will declare — Diane will not be winning and voters have sent a message,” an exuberant Hinman said. “It’s a huge boost, this is phenomenal.”
Hinman said the message was sent and Calgary-Glenmore will now have a true Conservative voice.
“They are voting for a true Conservative party that is going … to put good government ahead of good politics — they are fed up with the way things are being run.”
Wildrose Alliance leadership candidate Mark Dyrholm was excited for the win and said it strengthens the party’s voice.
“If this government provided leadership — none of this would have happened,” he added.
Mount Royal University political science instructor Duane Bratt said the win should send a strong message to Premier Ed Stelmach.
“It’s not so much Hinman won, but how bad Urquhart lost finishing third. It has less to do with the candidate, less to do with the party and more to do with the premier,” Bratt said.
Urquhart was disappointed but gracious over Hinman’s win.
“I think he ran a good campaign and knocked on a lot of doors and I certainly respect the decision of the voters. We were running to finish first, so it’s disappointing,” she said.
Avalon Roberts was also discouraged but acknowledged the tight race.
“I think it was certainly close but we were disappointed we weren’t able to win, but it shows people are very upset with the mismanagement and there are consequences.”
