Liberal Hehr holds off foes in inner-city riding
Comfortable lead over Conservative candidate Lall
Calgary-buffalo Liberal incumbent Kent Hehr maintained a Grit presence in the city’s core Monday, holding off his opponents in the fierce fight for what’s been one of Calgary’s most volatile ridings.
The diverse inner-city constituency covers a swath of Calgary’s inner city, hemmed in by the Bow River to the north and the Elbow from the southwest and with plenty of office buildings, tony condos and low-income apartments in between.
The downtown constituency has often proved an election day nail-biter, flip- ping between the Tories and Grits.
Hehr had a comfortable lead over closest contender Progressive Conservative candidate Jamie Lall.
Hehr, 42, acknowledged it was a tough fight for votes but said he’d felt confident during the campaign as he mingled with the constituents he’d come to know living in the riding and during his four years representing them in the legislature.
“I always works as hard as I can,” Hehr said, surrounded by cheering party supporters Monday night.
Monday’s pitched battle included strong efforts from political newcomer Lall and Wildrose contender Mike Blanchard to claim the constituency.
The clash had raised the spectre of “strategic voting” chipping away at Hehr’s sup- port.
“I live and work in Calgary-buffalo and have for the last 12 years. These are my neighbours, these are my friends,” said Hehr.
The former lawyer has held a number of Liberal critic portfolios, including education and energy.
In the 2008 election, Hehr nabbed the seat back for the Liberals. That campaign also saw one of the lowest voter turnouts in Calgary-buffalo, with just 27 per cent of eligible residents casting a ballot.
Blanchard, 51, a broadcast journalist, said this campaign has been a hard fought one. “It’s been go, go go.” Blanchard said he felt a bit frustrated at the “fearmongering” directed his campaign’s way from Hehr’s camp.
Lall, 27, was still anxiously watching the last polls coming in Monday.
“It’s nervewracking. It’s still very, very early,” he said from his campaign headquarters.
Lall said he knew it would be difficult trying to knock off an incumbent, but said campaign visits from party leader Alison Redford helped raise his profile in the community, along with long hours door-knocking and using social media to meet constituents, he said.
Lall said his background as a non-profit social worker helped him connect with constituents and understand inner-city issues.
Also running in the riding are public relations consultant Rebecca Eras for the NDP, and Alberta Party candidate Cory Mack, a comedian and development and community outreach manager.