Unite the right divides Albertans on social media despite new poll
52% would vote for united right-wing party, shows online poll of 1,500
A new poll commissioned by a self-described Alberta super PAC that is pushing for a united right in the province says if the Wildrose and PCs merged, the new party would win the popular vote.
The online poll of 1,500 eligible Alberta voters found 52 per cent of respondents would vote for a merged PC-Wildrose party if a provincial election were held today.
Without the merged party, the vote distribution would be 31 per cent for the Wildrose, 25 per cent for the NDP and 18 per cent for the PCs, according to the poll.
"People are angry. They're upset with what happened on the fifth of May last year," said Dave Rutherford, spokesperson for the Alberta Prosperity Fund super PAC.
"If you split the common sense vote, you get the NDP," he said.
"The math is pretty clear. Mathematically, 60 per cent of Albertans didn't vote for the NDP," he told CBC's Alberta at Noon.
'The membership will drive the bus'
Rutherford said his organization is not offering a definitive prescription for unity under either the existing Wildrose or PC banner, but hopes that this will give current party leaders Brian Jean and Ric McIver an opportunity to begin the conversation.
"Grassroots members in each of the parties are way ahead of the leadership on this," Rutherford said.
"If this works out as we anticipate over the next few months, the membership will drive the bus on this and tell them what they want to do."
Meanwhile, a separate poll conducted by Angus Reid suggests that a faltering provincial economy and collapsing oil prices continue to take a toll on support for Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
It found Notley's approval rating has slumped to 33 per cent, down 12 points from December and 20 points since June.
Twitter reacts
Rutherford's comments drew quick criticism on social media, with some saying it would be disingenuous to merge the two parties unless their ideologies align.
<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertaatNoon">@AlbertaatNoon</a> unless the two factions agree on policy they shouldn't unite just to win. Be honest with voters about what you stand for
—@emmcniven<a href="https://twitter.com/thatSilvaLining">@thatSilvaLining</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertaatNoon">@AlbertaatNoon</a> Uniting the right is about uniting 2 poli part. How is that not about policy? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ableg?src=hash">#ableg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abpoli?src=hash">#abpoli</a>
—@CarolynBlasOthers attributed the NDP win to changing provincial circumstances and the NDP itself.
<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertaatNoon">@AlbertaatNoon</a> sick of hearing this "in our haste we mistakenly elected" nonsense from the OLD rightwing groups <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/newdays?src=hash">#newdays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/youthvotedNDP?src=hash">#youthvotedNDP</a>
—@KzosoK<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertaatNoon">@AlbertaatNoon</a> No.1 thing the Alberta right needs to do if they want to rule again: check their arrogance at the door. Ab has changed boys!
—@LittTaiwith files from The Canadian Press