The question now is whether his is the kind of message that is likely to win the Conservatives a general election
, just from among the new sign-ups. Still, he appears to have done well enough among the pre-existing membership: about 57 per cent, by my math, assuming turnout was the same for both groups.
New members or old, what unites Conservatives in their present mood is a desire to be represented by a pugilist, someone who will not back down or apologize but take the fight to the hated Liberals. After 18 years in the political trenches, Mr. Poilievre has certainly earned that reputation. His was a campaign designed to make Conservatives feel good about themselves. Where Erin O’Toole admonished the party that it needed to “change and grow,” Mr.
The question is whether that is the kind of message that is likely to win a general election. Certainly it’s a hell of a bet. The issue before the party, it is well known, is not so much how many voters it can attract, but where. Too many of its votes are “wasted” racking up huge majorities in rural and Western Canada, while in election after election it narrowly loses ridings in suburban and central Canada.
The premise, then, would appear to be that the voters who were spooked by Mr. O’Toole and Andrew Scheer will be reassured by Mr. Poilievre; that if before suburban and central Canadian voters were worried the gun nuts and the pro-lifers had too much sway in the party, they will be at ease seeing it in the grip of the sorts of extremists Mr.
Of course, this assumes the party is even trying to win over those voters. It may be that that is not the strategy: that the party, having found itself unable to win either by turning out the existing base or expanding it , has decided to appeal to a different group of voters altogether – neither traditional Tories nor centrist swing voters, but the kind of voters who have deserted it for the People’s Party, or who don’t vote at all.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘His own man’: What does Poilievre’s leadership mean for social conservatives? - National | Globalnews.caPierre Poilievre's crushing win to become leader of the Conservative Party of Canada raises questions about the status and power of the party's social conservatives.
Read more »
Poilievre's leadership win could signal change for party's social conservativesPierre Poilievre\u0027s win to become leader of the Conservative Party raises questions about status and power of party\u0027s social conservatives.
Read more »
Poilievre to meet Conservative party caucus after landslide leadership winPierre Poilievre will address the Conservative caucus today for the first time since handily securing the party\u0027s leadership on Saturday.
Read more »
New Conservative leader Poilievre drops in on Quebec caucus before meeting with MPs, senatorsConservative Leader Pierre Poilievre visited members of the party's Quebec caucus Monday after nearly sweeping the province in a landslide victory over its former premier, Jean Charest.
Read more »
New Tory leader Poilievre drops in on Quebec caucus before meeting with MPs, senatorsOTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre visited members of the party's Quebec caucus Monday after nearly sweeping the province in a landslide victory over its former Premier, Jean Charest.
Read more »