Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was basking in election victory on Tuesday saying "I'm getting used to getting underestimated.".On Tuesday morning, Smith joined Shaye Ganam on the radio on Edmonton’s 630 CHED and QR77 Calgary.."I want to be a gracious winner," Smith said..On Monday night Smith gained a majority government with 49 seats to the Alberta NDP's 38. Some political analysts are already speculating about Smith's shelf life. The party seat total fell by 14 on Monday in the election, a political strategist is suggesting Smith could be on a "short leash with the party" noting Alberta conservatives can be "impatient with their leaders" saying that no conservative premier has ever won back to back elections since Ralph Klein.."I'm getting used to getting underestimated," Smith said.."I know that when I started on this track, I initially thought I was just going to run for an MLA.".Smith said during her campaign she was relentlessly focused on jobs and the economy in Alberta.."Reminding people of what life was was like under the NDP," Smith said.."It was a really tough fight. When you look at the last four weeks, there were polls going back and forth. And it could have gone either way, right when I took over, we were 20 points behind the NDP and so I knew we had a lot of work to do.".On Monday, Smith's UCP got 52.6% of the popular vote.."When Peter Lougheed got elected in 1971 in his breakthrough victory, he got 46.4% of the vote, when Klein got elected his big breakthrough in 1993, he had 51 seats and 44.5% of the vote," Smith said.."So I think getting a clear majority of Albertans, especially with a relatively high voter turnout, compared to historic, I bet sends a good message to me. We did lose a couple of percentage points.".Smith then pointed out that when Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley got elected as premier she only had 41% of the popular vote.."I'm pretty confident that 53% (popular vote) is something that we can feel confident that we can go forward and implement our agenda," Smith said.."We've got a pretty fierce opposition that I know is going to be holding us to account and I'll be mindful of that.".Smith told Ganam on the radio she wants to make sure the UCP government is listening to all voices in Alberta. ."That's the message I took from it (campaign) is that we haven't won over everyone," Smith said.."People are prepared to give us a chance to be a good government and that's what I intend to focus on.".Smith will be sworn in as the 20th premier of Alberta in the near future.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was basking in election victory on Tuesday saying "I'm getting used to getting underestimated.".On Tuesday morning, Smith joined Shaye Ganam on the radio on Edmonton’s 630 CHED and QR77 Calgary.."I want to be a gracious winner," Smith said..On Monday night Smith gained a majority government with 49 seats to the Alberta NDP's 38. Some political analysts are already speculating about Smith's shelf life. The party seat total fell by 14 on Monday in the election, a political strategist is suggesting Smith could be on a "short leash with the party" noting Alberta conservatives can be "impatient with their leaders" saying that no conservative premier has ever won back to back elections since Ralph Klein.."I'm getting used to getting underestimated," Smith said.."I know that when I started on this track, I initially thought I was just going to run for an MLA.".Smith said during her campaign she was relentlessly focused on jobs and the economy in Alberta.."Reminding people of what life was was like under the NDP," Smith said.."It was a really tough fight. When you look at the last four weeks, there were polls going back and forth. And it could have gone either way, right when I took over, we were 20 points behind the NDP and so I knew we had a lot of work to do.".On Monday, Smith's UCP got 52.6% of the popular vote.."When Peter Lougheed got elected in 1971 in his breakthrough victory, he got 46.4% of the vote, when Klein got elected his big breakthrough in 1993, he had 51 seats and 44.5% of the vote," Smith said.."So I think getting a clear majority of Albertans, especially with a relatively high voter turnout, compared to historic, I bet sends a good message to me. We did lose a couple of percentage points.".Smith then pointed out that when Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley got elected as premier she only had 41% of the popular vote.."I'm pretty confident that 53% (popular vote) is something that we can feel confident that we can go forward and implement our agenda," Smith said.."We've got a pretty fierce opposition that I know is going to be holding us to account and I'll be mindful of that.".Smith told Ganam on the radio she wants to make sure the UCP government is listening to all voices in Alberta. ."That's the message I took from it (campaign) is that we haven't won over everyone," Smith said.."People are prepared to give us a chance to be a good government and that's what I intend to focus on.".Smith will be sworn in as the 20th premier of Alberta in the near future.
