Former Alberta premiers weigh in on PC leadership race
Posted Aug 17, 2011 8:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
In one month, members of the Alberta Progressive Conservative party will vote for the person they want to see succeed retiring Premier Ed Stelmach.
Former Premier Ralph Klein , who is arguably the province’s most popular leader of all time, says he and his wife are endorsing Gary Mar.
Klein tells The Calgary Herald , Mar, who was his health minister for a time, is a real people person.
Ex-Premier Don Getty has thrown his support behind Doug Horner.
The man who helped put the Tories in power back in the early 70s, Peter Lougheed, is not getting directly involved.
Lougheed says there are six good candidates to choose from.
University of Windsor Political Scientist Cheryl Collier tells 660News, the high-profile endorsements can be both a blessing and a curse, depending on how voters feel about the former leaders and how they ran the province.
The next PC leadership forum and debate is scheduled for Thursday night in Medicine Hat.
September 7th is the date the wannabe premiers will square off in Calgary.
Most political observers believe a second ballot in early October will be needed to determine the ultimate winner.
