Stephanie Taylor, The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, July 12, 2022 1:16 PM EDT
A spokesman for Patrick Brown says front-line campaign supporters believe that if their candidate is not reinstated, then Jean Charest is the best alternative.
Chisholm Pothier said Brown spoke in a conversation Monday night with supporters, many of whom were “ground troops” in the campaign to elect him federal Conservative leader.
Brown was disqualified from the race last week by party members on a committee overseeing the leadership race, but he is fighting to appeal the decision.
“There was overwhelming support for Charest among Brown supporters during the call,” Potier wrote Tuesday.
He said Brown “has spoken very highly of Charest,” the former Quebec premier and Brown’s former political mentor, and “people associated with our campaign believe Charest is the best option if Patrick is not reinstated. “
Potier, however, did not call Brown’s announcement an official endorsement.
What happens now to the supporters Brown signed up as party members remains one of the main unresolved questions in the race.
His campaign said it had sold 150,000 memberships, although party headquarters did not confirm that figure or others released by the five remaining campaigns. Longtime MP Pierre Poilievre said he had sold a whopping 312,000 memberships.
Brown’s strategy in the race was to try to recruit new members to the party, rather than trying to curry favor with existing ones — who, he reasoned, were more likely to support Poilievre and his populist messages.
Brown aimed his message specifically at Canadians of race and those from immigrant and newcomer communities.
Not only has Brown made his point by saying he wants to build a more inclusive Conservative Party, he’s also committed to giving communities a better seat at the table and standing up for their specific interests.
Despite being disqualified from the race, Brown’s name will still appear on the final ballot because the party said some were mailed in by the time he was removed.
Party spokesman Yaroslav Baran said on Tuesday that more than 280,000 ballots had been delivered, with another large batch scheduled to be mailed by the end of the week.
While headquarters has not confirmed specific membership sales from each campaign, it has recorded a voting base of more than 670,000 members, more than double what it had for the 2020 leadership race.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 12, 2022.
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