PCs reject candidate’s request for new HWAD nomination meeting

The Progressive Conservatives’ provincial nominations committee has rejected Hamilton candidate Ben Levitt’s request for a second vote after his May victory was disputed by others seeking the nomination.

“His request was considered and declined. We have full confidence in Ben Levitt and his riding association,” Ken Zeise, co-chair of the committee, said Tuesday.

Last week, Levitt asked the committee to hold another nomination meeting in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas to “clear the air” with new elections planned to settle disputed votes in Ottawa West-Nepean and Scarborough Centre.

“We appreciate the confidence. That validates what we believe to have taken place on May 7 of last year,” Dan Muys, Levitt’s campaign manager, said Tuesday of the committee’s decision.

Levitt won the nomination with 706 votes. Runner-up Vikram Singh received 593 votes. Singh launched a lawsuit against the party alleging the “wrongful insertion of false ballots” but dropped it in January. Fellow candidate Jeff Peller had also issued a court challenge but ended litigation in October. The HWAD nomination is still the subject of a Hamilton police investigation into allegations of ballot box stuffing.

Zeise couldn’t speak to the police investigation, only noting “we have no allegations of wrongdoing” involving Levitt or his campaign. Levitt, who works for MP David Sweet, will face off against longtime Liberal incumbent Ted McMeekin and the NDP’s Sandy Shaw in the June 7 election.

The Tories are lining up candidates as former party leader Patrick Brown makes a comeback bid after resigning in the face of sexual misconduct allegations.

Christine Elliott, Doug Ford, Caroline Mulroney and Tanya Granic are also vying to lead the party.