Alberta Premier Danielle Smith will soon be looking at whether or not to reopen three riding nominations where viable candidates challenging UCP insiders were disqualified by the party apparatus, says her spokeswoman..On Tuesday, Smith's press secretary Rebecca Polak said: “We’re currently in transition and the premier has spent the last week speaking and listening to all 60 UCP MLAs.".Challengers to MLA incumbents in three UCP ridings who filed complaints with the party, alleging they weren’t given a fair shot in the nominations, and are open to again throwing their hats in the ring. .Those three challengers are Jodie Gateman, Tim Hoven, and Kevin Smook..“It is a viable option that if the nomination was reopened, I would look at running again,” said Jodie Gateman, who tried to challenge MLA Joseph Schow for the Cardston-Siksika nomination..Gateman was disqualified for alleged “extreme or hateful” views, said former premier Jason Kenney defending the decision. The allegation was based on one pro-Trump repost that Gateman said was wrongly depicted by party officials as anti-Muslim..Hoven was disqualified from challenging MLA Jason Nixon for the nomination in Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre. .The allegation of his “extreme or hateful” views stemmed from him being registered years ago on a long inactive social media account said to be used by racists. .“On the one hand I will say yes, I am good to go,” said Hoven about taking another run at the nomination..Smook who was defeated by MLA Jackie Lovely by 58 votes in the Camrose nomination is ready to give it another go..“If she reopened the nomination, I would definitely let my name stand.” .“I didn’t win, but I had pretty good support when they had the nomination in the summer, and I think I could up that support. There were some oddities in there,” he said about the nomination process..Smook noted Smith promised to look into reopening nominations and is “hoping she’ll follow through.”.The UCP’s AGM will be held October 21-23.."We understand the party has their own processes and the premier will be discussing nominations races and processes with them soon," Polak said.
