The surging Wildrose Alliance party would form the next provincial government in Alberta if an election were held tomorrow, according to a new poll of decided voters that gives the right-of-centre party a double-digit lead in popular support over the long-ruling Tories.
A new Angus Reid Public Opinion survey of 1,000 Albertans suggests 39% of voters would cast a ballot for Danielle Smith and the Wildrose Alliance.
The fledgling party is pulling away from Premier Ed Stelmach’s Progressive Conservatives, who were tied with David Swann’s Liberals for second place with the backing of 25% of decided voters province-wide, according to the poll.
Brian Mason and the NDP are in fourth spot with the support of 9% of Alberta voters, while 2% said they would vote for another party.
The Wildrose Alliance — buoyed by their recent leadership race and byelection win in the Calgary area — is solidly in first place in every region of the province, according to the poll.
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So long as Special Ed remains leader of the PCs the WRA could run a bale of hay and it would get elected. Albertans don’t like being governed by a lackey of the civil servants.
I think this is mostly a result of the lagging economy and peoples great distaste for Stelmach. Nothing at all to do with the H1N1 rollout. Also, I’m wondering if this poll was taken after Danielle Smith publicly stated that man-made global warming was a load of crap. She may have got my vote with that although I am a bit concerned about splitting up the conservative voters allowing the Liberals/NDP to pick up seats.
I personally like honest, straight talking politicians who clearly state their POV and policies and are not afraid to do so. If I agree with them I generally vote for them. I am fed up with manipulating, slippery, used car salesmen/women trying to pass themselves off as “working for Canadjians” and giving themselves salaries and perks as if they were bankers. As for Supposi-Tories being split on conservative issues, they aren’t conservative to start with so, buh bye. Paint them as 62 Percenters, main chancers, Slick Willies, hucksters selling “sizzle” . That’s what they are.
The only people Ed is “working for” are the AUPE and assorted unionised government employees. He ain’t working for the guys paying for it all, that is for damned sure.
Reminder — This only a poll (a snapshot in time) and anything can happen in the next two years. Having said that, Ed can’t be happy about it.
That’s True Jack. Mario Dumont could tell us a few stories about the fleeting nature of polls, and even of electoral success. Then again, he wasn’t nearly as cute as Danielle Smith.