I spent a good chunk of today telling journalists some version of “beats me!” in response to questions about the NDP leadership race, which became way more interesting with Naheed Nenshi’s entrance. Can he win? Beats me! The best I can do is this: to win, Nenshi has to win on the first ballot, or at least come really close. He can’t expect a lot of second and subsequent preferences to come his way. People who are supporting Hoffman, Ganley, Pancholi, Stonehouse and McGowan probably aren’t going to have Nenshi in second or even third place on their ballots.
I should probably file this in the “beats me” category, but I suspect Nenshi will get a pretty significant number of second place votes from some of the other candidates.
Not being an NDP member, I don't know how welcome he will be to the longtime members. All of the candidates have good qualities and I would vote for any of them.
The question is who can get rid of the UCP? Beats me, though I think Nenshi has a good chance of rattling Danielle Smith and I hope he has many chances to annoy her. He can't speak in the Legislature but he is good at media and can come up with juicy quotes.
I do think he cares about serving the public good for Albertans, and Smith clearly does not.
I’ll be voting for the candidate that can win the next provincial election. Period. Forming competent government and ridding the province of a corrosive leader in Smith are my criteria. Each of the candidates represents the ideals of the party just fine. So for me it’s party growth, broader appeal, credentials, and governing ability.
I don’t think anyone is going to know anything until there’s been at least one debate. I suspect that’s going to be the opportunity most of the candidates use to define clear policy differences, and try to separate from the pack a bit.
The leadership race did not "get more interesting" because Nenshi has suddenly decided he wants to run for the leadership of a party he has absolutely nothing to do with because he's figured out this is a very successful political party. The serious candidates that are running, on the other hand, _are_ very interesting.
Most Edmontonians I know have been voting NDP for years just to avoid splitting the progressive vote. We really just want a quasi liberal like Rachel Notley or a Progressive Conservative like Peter Lougheed. Nenshi checks the boxes.
I should probably file this in the “beats me” category, but I suspect Nenshi will get a pretty significant number of second place votes from some of the other candidates.
Not being an NDP member, I don't know how welcome he will be to the longtime members. All of the candidates have good qualities and I would vote for any of them.
The question is who can get rid of the UCP? Beats me, though I think Nenshi has a good chance of rattling Danielle Smith and I hope he has many chances to annoy her. He can't speak in the Legislature but he is good at media and can come up with juicy quotes.
I do think he cares about serving the public good for Albertans, and Smith clearly does not.
I’ll be voting for the candidate that can win the next provincial election. Period. Forming competent government and ridding the province of a corrosive leader in Smith are my criteria. Each of the candidates represents the ideals of the party just fine. So for me it’s party growth, broader appeal, credentials, and governing ability.
I am really curious about this "nobody puts Nenshi 2nd" assumption, mostly because it doesn't fly with my own feeling. But I've always been odd.
I don’t think anyone is going to know anything until there’s been at least one debate. I suspect that’s going to be the opportunity most of the candidates use to define clear policy differences, and try to separate from the pack a bit.
The leadership race did not "get more interesting" because Nenshi has suddenly decided he wants to run for the leadership of a party he has absolutely nothing to do with because he's figured out this is a very successful political party. The serious candidates that are running, on the other hand, _are_ very interesting.
I agree with your comments. Pacholi really strikes me as having good people skills more than the others.
Most Edmontonians I know have been voting NDP for years just to avoid splitting the progressive vote. We really just want a quasi liberal like Rachel Notley or a Progressive Conservative like Peter Lougheed. Nenshi checks the boxes.
It might depend on how much of the union vote comes with Gil McGowan?
There is much bargaining in the near future in Alberta.
Also some may think that they should vote Nenshi because he will stand up to Danielle?
Danielle may not be there after the UCP leadership review in September?