The Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta (WIPA) said the province “has enough challenges, and we don’t need an encore (Rachel) Notley government.” .“In this particular election, the instability of the UCP (United Conservative Party) has fractured support for their party (down from around 65% general support) which now, because of the timing of this election, has created an opening for the NDP to form government again,” said WIPA in a Wednesday email to members. .“An NDP government would be a worst-case scenario for Alberta and as such, our party’s board decided to run only very select candidates in specific ridings that were not vulnerable to such as a calamitous outcome.” .The email started off by saying the Alberta Wildrose Loyalty Coalition (WLC) is running a few candidates in swing ridings across the province. It said those candidates do not represent WIPA. .WLC recognized Paul Hinman as leader. WIPA selected Jeevan Singh Mangat as interim leader, and he's running as a candidate in Innisfail-Sylvan Lake. .The Alberta WLC was registered as soon as the writ for the election dropped on May 1. .READ MORE: MORGAN: Paul Hinman rides again!.Hinman said of the 50 registered candidates, five will be mounting serious campaigns. Those five will all be running in constituencies where the Alberta NDP have no chance of winning. .He will be running in Taber-Warner, where the conservative vote could be split five ways and still would not let an NDP candidate slip in. .WLC has chosen to use colours and a wildrose flower logo similar to WIPA’s to represent it. WIPA said this “appears to be an effort to take advantage of the name recognition of the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta.” .The email concluded by saying it was issuing this message to clarify WLC was an organization unrelated and unassociated with it. It added its rival's lawn signs, online banners, and images are separate from it, and donations and membership fees paid to it will not receive a tax receipt from it. .“Please lend Ms. Smith your vote in this election for the sake of stopping the NDP, but support Wildrose in Highwood and Innisfail-Sylvan Lake to advance the cause of self-determination for Alberta!” said WIPA. .The Alberta United Conservative Party is ahead of the NDP province-wide, according to a Tuesday poll conducted by Mainstreet Research. .READ MORE: Poll shows Alberta UCP may be pulling ahead against NDP.A total of 46% of Albertans would vote for the UCP if an election took place now, according to the poll. The poll found 41% would select the Alberta NDP. .Subsequent to the NDP would be undecided (8%). This was followed by the Alberta Party (2%) and the Alberta Greens, WIPA, and another party (1%).
