Jason Kenney has been elected the first leader of the United Conservative Party. The former Conservative MP and cabinet minister took 61.1 per cent of the vote, besting former Wildrose leader Brian Jean with 31.5 per cent and Calgary lawyer Doug Schweitzer with 7.3 per cent.
In his victory speech, Kenney told the crowd, “Hope is on the horizon and common sense is coming back,” slamming the NDP government. He now leads the Opposition caucus of 27 members, but does not hold a seat in the legislature.
Almost 94 per cent of the roughly 63,000 people registered to vote cast a ballot between Thursday and Saturday. Grande Prairie – Smoky MLA Todd Loewen threw his support behind Jean, and Grande Prairie – Wapiti MLA Wayne Drysdale was the only UCP MLA to back Schweitzer.