Thomson: Is this the man Jason Kenney wants to replace him? via torontostar
Here’s the big question these days in Alberta politics: Who in the Jason Kenney government wants to replace him?And even more granularly: Will it be Finance Minister Travis Toews?
“I appreciate all the interest in the leadership race that’s going to ensue,” said Toews, careful not to pour any cold water on the heated speculation. “I think that can be good for the movement. Good for the party. Good for the province.” That’s where Toews comes in. He is just the kind of politician Kenney would like to see succeed him, after the premier garnered a dismal 51 per cent support from party members in last week’s leadership review.
At the same time, he is not tied too closely to Kenney, having managed to carry himself above the partisan snake pit that so often characterized a government that viciously attacked critics and boasted prematurely about victories — such as the much-ridiculed “War Room,” the much-reviled elementary school curriculum review, and the doomed-from-the-start billion-dollar gamble on the failed Keystone XL pipeline project.
The concern for Toews is that by being first out of the gate he risks making himself a target for all those eager to tear down a perceived front-runner. He also might scare off other candidates in cabinet from running.He’d need enough serious contestants to make the race a credible contest but not so many that they dilute the vote and allow Brian Jean to slip up the middle to victory.