After a four-month leadership campaign that ended in a second-place finish, Grande Prairie-Wapiti MLA Travis Toews says it’s time to continue to move forward toward a provincial election in 2023.
“It’s been a week of mixed emotion for sure, but very thankful to my campaign team, and the tens of thousands of Albertans who supported my leadership campaign,” Toews says to his defeat to Premier Danielle Smith in the UCP leadership contest.
Toews says his plan going forward is to continue to focus on the unity of the United Conservative Party and believes that will help ensure to provide good leadership for the next seven months until the planned provincial election in May. He adds what that looks like specifically for him is yet to be seen.
“It’s important we remain a big tent diverse conservative party and movement in the province. It’s our diversity that sometimes makes it challenging, and yet it’s our diversity that makes us fit to govern.”
“That’s going to be at the premier’s discretion, I’m certainly pleased to serve Albertans in the way I can best serve them, in whatever capacity that may be,” he adds.
Toews says prior to heading back to Edmonton, he is looking forward to the chance to speak to residents across the constituency.