Calgary Nose Hill MP Michelle Rempel Garner says she is “seriously considering” a UCP leadership offer.
Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenney announced his intention to resign as UCP leader last month, but will remain until a new leader is elected.
In a Twitter thread Wednesday night, Rempel Garner said he has been encouraged to seek party leadership and as such will no longer participate in the Conservative federal leadership race.
Rempel Garner was co-chair of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown’s campaign for Conservative federal leadership.
“I owe it to the Albertans to pay close attention to this critical decision,” wrote Rempel Garner.
“We will make my decision based on the conversations I have with the people I represent: the Albertans.”
2 / The last few weeks have encouraged me to seek the leadership of the United Conservative Party. This is not a decision that anyone should take lightly.
– @MichelleRempel
The Twitter announcement marks Rempel Garner’s first public comment regarding the race after it was rumored to announce his candidacy.
Rempel Garner is a well-known political presence in Calgary, his powerful platform includes both strong support for LGBTQ rights and gun ownership.
She was also one of two remaining MPs to support Brown’s candidacy for the Conservative federal leadership campaign.
It offers a “bigger splash,” the interviewer says
Political commentator and pollster Janet Brown said Rempel Garner’s one-foot approach to announcing his offer could be a strategy to assess his support base.
“He’s probably trying to get a little excited, get some people out and talk in his favor … and if he decides to run, maybe he’ll get a bigger touch because he created the suspense a little bit.”
Brown said Rempel Garner’s withdrawal from Brown’s federal leadership bid could undermine his election hopes.
“[It’s] a big blow to him. He already lost the support of a couple of other MPs earlier this week and can really indicate almost the official end of his campaign, “Brown said.
Kenney resigned last month after gaining 51.4% support in a leadership review. He plans to continue as prime minister until the party elects a new leader in October.
“Immediately from the time Kenney resigned, it was always an interesting question about how the leadership of the UCP would intertwine with the leadership of the CPC, because many of the people who would participate in a leadership contest would also participate in a other “. Brown said.
There are currently eight more candidates who have formally entered the provincial leadership race:
- Calgary MP Rebecca Schulz
- Travis Toews, MLA of Grande Prairie-Wapiti
- Wildrose Party media personality and former leader Danielle Smith
- MLA from Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche and former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean
- Rajan Sawhney, former Minister of Social Services and Transport of the UCP
- Former UCP Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Leela Aheer
- Independent MLA Todd Loewen
- Bill Rock, mayor of Amisk and past candidate for Wildrose