Banner, Sword, and Shield

Broyce Jacobs former MLA Progressive Conservatives

Paul Hinman, Wildrose Alliance Party
Incumbant

 These two gentlemen are both LDS, this election is basically a rematch of the 2004 election where Hinman beat Jacobs by 125 votes. 

Hinman - 3,884 votes
Jacobs - 3,753 votes

So now they are about to square off again. 

Why is this a bellweather riding?

Well this is because the Wildrose Alliance represents a more conservative membership who are generally unhappy with the Progressive Conservatives.  In 2004 Hinman was the only winner for the party.  This election if he wins again it will probably mean that he will be joined by a few others.

Interesting in all this is how the media has portrayed Hinman’s previous win based on the “Mormon” factor.

Hinman won the riding of Cardston-Taber-Warner by taking a large percentage of the Mormon western half of the riding while Jacobs won the non-Mormon half.  However, what the media apparently missed in this vote is that Jacobs is in fact LDS as well.  A former bishop and County Reeve he had the “right” political pedigree and being Mormon did not mean he would automatically win or lose.

What happened last time was simply a case of the Mormon west being motivated unhappy voters.  Where in the east they were turning out in small amounts (around 30%) which meant they had less say.

So going into the polls closing tonight at 8pm we will see if these two competitors who had a very negative campaign against each other in 2004 will duke it out again in another close battle.

If my limited sign guessing is anything to go by it looks really close again.  Stay tuned.