ABC not a factor in federal election: Conservative

Federal Conservative supporters are working hard to move beyond the 'Anything But Conservative' (ABC) campaign launched by former premier Danny Williams in the 2008 federal election.

Tory organizer Leo Power said he's seeing a difference in support for the federal Conservatives in this province this spring.

"All the signals are there that the members of the house of assembly, the caucus members, are free to support our federal candidates, if they choose to do so," he said. "So we're aggressively in contact with those caucus members with the PC party of Newfoundland and Labrador and the response has been very positive."

Power said the ABC campaign in the last federal election made it difficult for the federal Conservatives find volunteers to work for the party.

He said the ABC campaign clearly had an impact on the election results in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2008.

"As we got closer to election day, it was clearer to me that we were not going to win a single seat," Power said.  "Even though I hoped to win at least one seat but it was devastating.  It tore apart the federal and provincial parties."