Conservative Party of Canada Leadership Race Megathread-May 27th 2017

[136or142]

Clement will announce Tuesday.

In his gazebo?

[trebor204]

Tony Clement has made it official.

[RogueBeaver]

Lisa Raitt leaning towards running.

[136or142]

I like Lisa Raitt.

Has this person been mentioned: Dan Lindsay, former President of the Manitoba Association of Physicians and Surgeons indicated he might run back in April or May.  First saw his name mentioned in the new issue of the Epoch Times.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/dan-lindsay-conservative-leader-1.3600039

Calgary M.P, the dean of the Conservative caucus and the present critic for International Development Deepak Obhrai just announced he's running (so, he'll have to step down as the critic.)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/deepak-obhrai-conservative-leadership-announcement-1.3680481

[RogueBeaver]

Ivison: Raitt is the best choice, both she and MacKay are still undecided, though Raitt says she's more than 50% inclined to run.

[RogueBeaver]

Don Martin on the race.

[136or142]

Don Martin on the race.

I think Peter MacKay was a disaster in every portfolio he held.  A genuine example of the Peter Principle if you will.  On the other hand, at least Don Martin didn't refer to MacKay as a 'Red Tory' but acknowledged he fit in with 'Stephen Harper's harder right positions.'

I thought Maxime Bernier addressed his oversight in handling the foreign policy documents very well in his 'entrance interview,' unlike the inept Kellie Leitch and her complete failure in addressing taking part in the 'barbaric culture practices' press conference.

[Pandaguineapig]

Would I be wrong to assume that the conservative party candidates seem to be more focused on holding a solid opposition rather than trying to win and form a government in 2019?

[136or142]

Would I be wrong to assume that the conservative party candidates seem to be more focused on holding a solid opposition rather than trying to win and form a government in 2019?

I think it's too early in the process to determine what they are trying to collectively do.

[Hatman 🍁]

The fact that the heir-apparent Jason Kenney doesn't want the job indicates the Tories are resigned to being opposition again.

[DC Al Fine]

The fact that the heir-apparent Jason Kenney doesn't want the job indicates the Tories are resigned to being opposition again.

I wouldn't plan for anything until the NDP get their new leader, but yes more or less this. The Tories could do somewhat better than their 2015 popular vote and still lose lots of seats unless the NDP get their act together.

[DC Al Fine]

What exactly is Deepak Obhrai's trying to accomplish with his run?

[136or142]

What exactly is Deepak Obhrai's trying to accomplish with his run?

1.Run for Conservative Leadership
2.??
3.Profits!

Just kidding, that's from the underpants gnome South Park program.

He's probably trying to connect with the "immigrant communities" of whom, many Conservatives believe, are natural Conservative voters.  It was, I believe, first generation Canadians (and maybe second generation Conservatives as well) that won Patrick Brown the Progressive Conservative leadership in Ontario.

Don Martin's article also mentioned Kellie Leitch apparently has some of the best Conservative organizers with her and is also likely to do best with the culture conservative voters.  While I can't know how the Liberals will govern over the next three years, I predict that if she wins the Conservative leadership, the Liberals will win the 250+ seats that many thought Paul Martin would win when he became leader and before the Sponsorship Scandal.

[King of Kensington]

Brad Trost, a "real Conservative from the conservative wing of the party," plans to announce in September.

http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/editorials/god-put-conservatives-on-earth-to-stop-taxes-everywhere-forever-brad-trost

[Pandaguineapig]

Brad Trost, a "real Conservative from the conservative wing of the party," plans to announce in September.

http://thestarphoenix.com/opinion/editorials/god-put-conservatives-on-earth-to-stop-taxes-everywhere-forever-brad-trost

I would assume Trost has a pretty good opening as a western conservative in a race increasingly populated by eastern liberals?

[RogueBeaver]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

[Pandaguineapig]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

I just figured because he is the only so con and the only candidate west of Ontario he would have an opening in the leadership race not in 2019

[SATW]

At this point, I'll be supporting Lisa Raitt, if she does indeed run, with Peter MacKay being my second choice.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I won't be supporting any of them.

Instead I'll be volunteering for Hedy Fry this Saturday.

What can I say? She had cute guys in the Pride parade last Sunday.

[JerryArkansas]

I won't be supporting any of them.

Instead I'll be volunteering for Hedy Fry this Saturday.

What can I say? She had cute guys in the Pride parade last Sunday.

You can't but love Caribbean black women.  They are just so amazing.

[Hatman 🍁]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

I just figured because he is the only so con and the only candidate west of Ontario he would have an opening in the leadership race not in 2019

Brad Trost has 0 name recognition. See the poll we did a few weeks ago. More people physically wrote in Rona Ambrose as their choice than pick Trost, who was one of the available choices in the poll.

[136or142]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

I just figured because he is the only so con and the only candidate west of Ontario he would have an opening in the leadership race not in 2019

Brad Trost has 0 name recognition. See the poll we did a few weeks ago. More people physically wrote in Rona Ambrose as their choice than pick Trost, who was one of the available choices in the poll.

What was Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Patrick Brown's name recognition at the start of the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race?

[Hatman 🍁]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

I just figured because he is the only so con and the only candidate west of Ontario he would have an opening in the leadership race not in 2019

Brad Trost has 0 name recognition. See the poll we did a few weeks ago. More people physically wrote in Rona Ambrose as their choice than pick Trost, who was one of the available choices in the poll.

What was Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Patrick Brown's name recognition at the start of the Ontario Progressive Conservative leadership race?

Touche, but I'd argue name recognition is more important in federal races.

[2952-0-0]

Kevin O'Leary's been awfully quiet lately. Either he's planning to surprise us at the last moment, or he regrets as a cheap knockoff Donald Trump.

[Njall]

LMAO. He'll get parts of the Prairies and that's it. In a GE, a strident, single-issue socon would get results closer to Alliance 2000 than Harper in 2004/15.

I just figured because he is the only so con and the only candidate west of Ontario he would have an opening in the leadership race not in 2019

He'll have to compete with Deepak Obhrai and (possibly) Andrew Scheer for the Western Conservative vote, so his Western roots won't really be an advantage.