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Calgary Lougheed byelection: Jason Kenney seeks seat in Alberta legislature

It's decision day for former federal Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney as voters in the riding of Calgary Lougheed go to the polls in a byelection. Stock image

Former federal Conservative cabinet minister Jason Kenney will be seeking a seat in the Alberta legislature on Thursday.

The seat in the southwest riding of Calgary Lougheed came open after the current MLA stepped aside to make room for a legislative run for Kenney, who became leader of the newly merged United Conservative Party in late October.

Kenney, the leader and architect of the United Conservative Party – a merger of the Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties – is anxious to gain a seat in the legislature so he can go head-to-head with NDP Premier Rachel Notley before the 2019 provincial election.

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He is one of seven candidates in the constituency that has traditionally voted Conservative.

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Lori Williams, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, says Kenney will likely win in a landslide but he needs to win convincingly.

She says even if it’s close it will hurt Kenney’s claims that Alberta is a conservative province who were hoodwinked into electing the NDP in 2015.

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