Eenie, meenie, miney ... and the Sask. Party caucus picks Moe

Most of you likely don’t have a clue who Scott Moe is, but the response from his Saskatchewan Party caucus colleagues to his leadership bid suggests he must be something like Brad Wall, Tommy Douglas and Walter

Scott rolled into one.

Standing before a John Deere combine last Friday were no fewer than 22 MLAs — nearly half of the now 48-member government caucus — eager to push a virtual political unknown into the Saskatchewan premier’s office.

All this for a guy who doesn’t have the cabinet experience of a Ken Cheveldayoff or Gord Wyant, the education of a Tina Beaudry-Mellor or the corporate governance experience of an Alanna Koch. Heck, Moe doesn’t even have the credentials of Jeremy Harrison, who bowed out of the leadership race to support Moe.

Certainly, his political resume doesn’t stack up to Health Minister Jim Reiter, who not only gave him personal support, but pledged his entire campaign machinery and caucus support before he mysteriously removed himself from contention.

This is not necessarily a knock on Moe, who is a nice enough guy. But as advanced education and environment minister — where his biggest claim to fame seems to be a lukewarm commitment to the concept of manmade global warming, and an intense detestation for a carbon tax — he hasn’t exactly been a political dynamo.

So what are all those caucus members who gathered in front of that combine seeing in Moe that the rest of us are not? Hmmm … in front of the combine … or yes … got it.

As one clever wag I work with put it, “The Sask. Party is circling the tractors.”

If you haven’t been paying much attention, devout support of rural Saskatchewan is the theme of the leadership race so far.

Koch had her announcement at a farm outside Regina. Cheveldayoff — born and raised in Blaine Lake — choose the theme “rural roots and urban strong.” And even Beaudry-Mellor and Wyant (who had Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart and party founder June Draude at his kickoff ) are paying special homage to rural Sask. Party voters.

There are practical reasons for this.

Notwithstanding the inroads made in the four largest cities in the past two elections, rural Saskatchewan is where the Sask. Party membership remains strongest.

Moreover, after being ignored in virtually every provincial campaign since 1999 (the NDP virtually conceded defeat in rural ridings), it’s actually nice to see the rural areas finally receive some political interest.

But that doesn’t perfectly explain why 22 MLAs showed up for Moe’s sendoff — all but five of whom (including Regina’s Kevin Doherty, who was also expected to run for leader) are rural MLAs.

Much of what’s going on does seem to be driven by a need for the rural caucus members

(17 of which are now supporting Moe) to make one great last stand on purely rural issues like farm input sales taxes, highways spending, support for the rural area in education and health care, rural municipalities and the preservation of SARM ... plus broader issues like the federal carbon tax.

Based on Moe’s so-far-extremely-light policy pronouncements plus his ample support from the Sask. Party establishment, it’s clear the former-Reiter-and-now-Moe camp want the status quo of Premier Brad Wall’s government.

Certainly, the caucus show of strength at Moe’s kickoff was a loud statement it does not want any further perceived movement to the liberal-left that they see coming from Wyant (who could be a contender) or Beaudry-Mellor (who won’t be).

But to their credit, Moe’s camp does differ from Koch’s support, which is in the upper echelons of the Sask. Party government/ executive council and SP-related business urban types who may eventually wear the Global Transportation Hub and other Bill Boyd controversies.

In the bizarre way in which we are picking our next Saskatchewan premier, Moe just happens to be rural and the buddy to many caucus types who now best fits the bill.

Out of nowhere, he has been picked as a contender.