If you were hoping Calgary’s mayoral contest would get more interesting, stay tuned.
Speculation Barb Higgins will enter the fray gathered steam Thursday after the longtime broadcaster announced she was stepping down at CTV Calgary.
In addressing viewers, Higgins wouldn’t reveal why she was leaving the anchor’s chair, saying the day’s news felt “big enough.”
But word at city hall and around Calgary this week is that Higgins’ next move will be one into prime-time politics.
Asked about it Thursday night by my colleague Don Braid, Higgins replied: “I’ve heard those rumours, too.”
She also added that she would say more next week.
Well, that’s no way to squash a rumour, unless . . .
Interestingly enough, two Internet domains were also registered this week: barbformayor. com and barb4mayor. com.
I don’t know who this “barb” is, but it would be a perfect website for someone named Barb who is running for mayor.
Now, it’s been rumoured for a while Higgins was considering a leap into civic politics.
And, as recently as last month, she said she’d actually made up her mind to not join the race.
But 30 days is a lifetime in politics and city hall is again abuzz about Barb Higgins.
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And why not?
Various political observers reached Thursday agree that she would be an immediate game-changer.
“It would really shake up the race, without a doubt,” predicts Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University.
Firstly, there’s no doubting the power of celebrity in a contest where name recognition is key.
Higgins is one of the most recognizable names in broadcasting in southern Alberta.
Even if you don’t know the name, odds are you know the face.
She’s also a well-known public figure and volunteer, speaking at countless charitable and community events over the years.
Surely, no current mayoralty candidate — not even Ald. Ric McIver — would hold the same kind of broad familiarity Higgins does.
Indeed, she arguably has almost universal recognition, according to pollster Bruce Cameron of Return on Insight. He believes if Higgins gets on the hustings she could have a very significant impact.
“There’s only so much money to go around, money and people,” Cameron explains.
“If she does enter the race, I think that she will siphon away some funds that could have gone to other candidates and some workers that would have gone to other candidates.”
Some of the buzz around a potential campaign also has to do with the fact Higgins is female.
No woman has entered the mayor’s race so far, and Higgins would certainly be the most high-profile female competitor since former alderman Bev Longstaff took on Dave Bronconnier for mayor in 2001.
Calgary — a more progressive city than critics give it credit for — has never elected a woman as mayor.
Ald. Druh Farrell, who has heard rumours about Higgins, is genuinely excited about rumours that the broadcaster could run.
“I’m certainly hoping that we get the best candidates possible and the fact that we might get a woman mayor would be an exciting change for us,” Farrell says.
For all this, however, a Higgins campaign would face some significant challenges.
At the top of the list would have to be demonstrating that she has the ability to lead city council and make tough decisions.
After all, the first challenge facing a new council is a projected budget shortfall of about $60 million.
As well, Calgarians don’t know a lot — if anything — about Higgins’s political viewpoints.
Should she run, she’ll soon get the chance to show voters what she’s all about in what’s expected to be a tough contest.
Doubters take note.
Long ago, no one believed a reporter from the same television station could win the mayor’s job.
And Ralph Klein did all right.
tseskus@theherald.canwest.com
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