I had the same thing happen to me on the weekend. I received a call from Mark Dyrholm himself and we chatted for a while. I found the candidate polite and knowledgeable and as you alluded to, I felt like I was being listened to and taken seriously, not just a candidate talking down to other members trying to solicit support.
I am fairly certain know that I will support Mr. Dyrholm even though Danielle Smith was recommended to me through a contact within the Wildrose Alliance. One thing I don't want is a leader who will be aloof with the common folk...the last thing the WA needs is a Don Getty-type at the helm.
If we're a random sample, this can't be good news for Smith's campaign. If she wants to win, she's going to have to change tactics and get the support of people like you and me.
Exact same as leeky. Mark sent out a recorded voice message and then a week later he called himself and we chatted for maybe 10 minutes as well. He also has been sending me a few campaign emails.
I also was thinking Danielle but now I'm not sure. I'm small town and these personal things still matter.
Socially Danielle is a strong progressive, I'm not sure that fits with me. Likely she would get better media attention (already is) and that would help the party. I may make up my mind at the debates in GP.
Socially, I am pretty much where Smith is. I don't identify as a "social conservative" at all, but they do have a place in any party that bills itself as conservative. However for me, gay marriage etc is a non-starter. As long as people are working, paying their taxes and abiding by the law, I don't care if a dude wants to have sex with another dude. If he wants to have sex with a child or animal, then we have problems. Personally I am not comfortable with gay marriage but it's not anywhere near the top of my priority list.
Whoever wins this race, social issues must be put on the backburner. Fiscal issues are the most pressing for Alberta right now. We need oil investment back ASAP, and a government that won't f*ck it all up.
I don't think anyone is going to run on a socially conservative platform. Not winnable.
I am curious to know how committed Danielle is, if she does not win.
Agreed. Social conservatism doesn't win. Stick to the middle, don't swing left and I think a majority of Albertans are happy.
Mark and his team are good, I also signed up under Danielle, but, I am starting to think Dyrholm has the team to take us there.
Sean, social conservitism has won in Alberta over and over. It is not just about 2 issues abortion and gay mariage, but also being tough on crime and fighting against drugs etc...
I have looked at Marks platform and he is very balanced.
Perhaps Danielle Smith, a front runner, is extremely busy, and Mark Dyrholm has time on his hands to call and chat for so long? Just a theory...
Common sense dictates that a Mark Dyrholm-led Wildrose Alliance will never even come close to Official Opposition status, whereas a Danielle Smith-led WAP could very well be #2 by the next election.
Leigh,
Danielle like Dinning or even like Belinda is / was a perceived frontrunner. Perception is not reality.
Not sure why Smith supporters must go negative?
Dyrholm's team is massive. I have seen his website and I hear it is not even updated on the volunteer side of things. Apparently they have been too busy.
Smith is just media and they do not vote. This is Alberta, we are smarter than people like you give us credit for.
Common sense dictates that someone with real life experience such as Dyrholm will relate better to the people than Danielle. Dyrholm is a family man and as a woman that warmed my soul. Danielle seems cold and distant.
Nevertheless, It seems that Smith will be beat the old fashion way and simply be out worked.
Even you write on your blog "Mark Dyrholm has a strong team, strong connections, experience, and an unquestioned desire and ability to lead the Wildrose Alliance and indeed the province to a better place"
You also say they both would be great leaders.
All I see from the Smith camp is division and a fringe party if she wins.
I am looking for something different and a good work ethic is a great start. The Smith team could take some notes on the Dyrholm campaign.
They show respect, work hard and listen.
Jeannettte (?),
Not to continue this pissing contest, but right after you accuse DS supporters of being negative, YOU BECOME NEGATIVE.
As well, I am Albertan -something that would have been easy to learn with a little checking, no?
The truth is, Dyrholm's 'team' is just the PGIB group with a new home. Smith is media? No, the media is actually coming to her - as she represents the only real chance the WAP has at catching the PCs.
Under Dyrholm, I cannot see that happening. Not even close. I am certain that a Smith WAP will be big tent, while I hold many doubts from recent conversations that a Dyrholm WAP will have no room for non-social conservatives.
Thank you for pointing PGIB out to me. I had no idea who they were until now?
I called their office and asked them a few questions and they said "they are non-partisan and support various conservative parties" I pressed them again and they said "90% of their members are provincial Tories and 10% are in the Wildrose Alliance Party".
They also continued that unlike other organizations like the CFIB, they do not just sit on the sidelines and grab media headlines. They get involved directly in the political process.
I have also talked to Mark directly and I know he has a big tent party. I am not a social conservative at all and Mark has room for me.
After reading your posts I now know 2 things: Anyone who is associated with PGIB is not welcome and social conservatives are not welcome. Sounds like the Smith Hearings will be commissioned.
Holy shit how many of these posters are actually Craig Chandler?
Let me tell you how to find out: If there are spelling errors you are probably reading Chandler.
What a tool.
Swearing, personal attacks?
Maybe the Wildrose Alliance Party is not for me at all. I am new to politics and if this is normal I am not cut out for it.
I just wanted an alternative to what I saw. This seems to be more of the same.
I am saddened by this.
Jeannette, I doubt "W" is a WA supporter. Sounds like a troll to me.
The reason why Dyrholm has time to call you is because, quite frankly, the grassroots couldn't be bothered with him. I've been following both campaigns rather closely, and Danielle has been busy touring the province meeting with small and large groups in any situation from town hall style meetings to coffees with church groups or other various groups, which last I checked, is connecting with the grassroots at its very core.
Apparently Dyrholm has the time to sit in his campaign office and call everyone, which tells me he isn't
getting out there and meeting them or is having trouble finding people who want to organize events for him around Alberta. Doesn't that mean the grassroots couldn't be bothered with him?
It isn't possible to touch everyone in any campaign, but I would put more stock into someone who people actually want to come meet them over someone who is simply trying to get noticed and can't get out of his campaign office.
Not to mention, I've heard that this campaign has been typical Chandler, where instead of actually wanting to vote for his candidate, you're cornered into voting for his candidate by being bombarded by oodles of phone calls and door knocks - in other words, overdoing it, until finally the only way to get him to leave you alone is to commit to his candidate. I don't want a politician that bothers me too much like Chandler and his candidates are known to.
If we're worried about who really is endeavouring to connect with the grassroots of Alberta, we'd be best served by peeling away the layers of the onion beyond one simple phone call and see who really is doing a better job of meeting these people face to face, and I would say that while Dyrholm may be getting around Calgary simply because he lives here, the opportunities elsewhere may not be as ripe.
From what I can see Mark Dyrholm has spoken at several meetings and on Saturday launches his Reforming Alberta Tour. His Twitter says he will be touring the entire month of August.
I suspect the Dyrholm team has a strategy that should not be under estimated.
Good for Danielle in getting out.
Again I see more personal attacks from Smith supporters and I do not think that is needed.
I know I am new to politics, but, would it not be better to just put forward why your candidate is better? Just a thought.
One quick thing - there's a difference between the leader calling you and a member of the campaign team calling you. I have never spoken with Dyrholm, nor would I expect to.
I never expected to speak with Smith either, although she did reach out to me and we should be chatting sometime in the next few days. Again, I view this entirely as the exception. Leaders and leadership candidates are understandably busy.
All I want to do is get involved, however much I can, even if it is minimal.
Regardless of who wins this race - and I don't think it's a slam dunk for anyone - the party will need to coalesce around the winner quickly, and put aside all divisions. This blog entry was never an endorsement of either candidate (and I am still leaning in one direction), but rather pointed out what I saw as differences in the campaigns.
"...the party will need to coalesce around the winner quickly, and put aside all divisions."
Well said, sean. Although I may be giving my leadership vote to Dyrholm, should Danielle Smith be selected, she will get my support.
"Again I see more personal attacks from Smith supporters and I do not think that is needed."
I wouldn't say I'm a Smith supporter. Just a student of politics and an unbiased observer. I will admit that my entry was more editorialized than my thought process, for which I apologize. Someone dragged me out of bed far too early.
But I will say that my opinion, agree or disagree, is incredibly well informed.
Why has Danielle not called? Seems like her campaign views her time better spent doing events across the province and holding small events to meet as many individuals as possible in a one on one setting. Well, likely leaving most of the phone bank work to volunteers but doing phone calls when she has a moment of free time. Her campaign is likely assuming that she has the highest name recognition amongst the three candidates so her time would be best used going around meeting as many people possible in one on one situations as possible in order to lock up as many supporters as possible and attract potentially new members as well.
Why did Mark call? Mark and his campaign seem to be focusing on a more time friendly plan of using the phones to talk to as many members in the least amount of time as possible and doing some events across the province when possible. Mark is likely going with the heavy focus on the phones because he is not as well known as Danielle and logically can get his name to more people in a timelier manner by phone versus doing events when he might not be greatly known.
It is also fun to watch leadership campaigns when both sides are going negative but publicly are asking for the other side to remain positive. We all know all campaigns are going negative in some shape or form so I never understand why some members go onto blogs or other forums and decry another campaign for being negative in one breath and then in the next go negative themselves.
Maybe Mark is working the phones because he has more lists? I know that in sales more can be done on the phone if you have the right lists.
I noticed he is launching his speaking tour as of Saturday. I read it in my local paper. Not a bad article.
I for the record am not on any campaign. I just stated my views when I stumbled across this website after a Google search.
Hi Jeannette I think your a liar about never having heard of the PGIB before.
This link would indicate otherwise.
http://lawofattraction.meetup.co...embers/3726285/
Sorry Travis, not the same Jeannette.
What is it with you people calling names?
Dyrholm called me as well and I contacted Link to tell him him that it would help if Danielle did this. I don't think that Danielle is just "too busy" since she also didn't go out of her way to chat people up at the last AGM in Calgary and Dyrholm did. But that said I think we just need to grow up and appreciate the fact that a politician who shakes your hand is no better a leader or policy maker for that fact alone. This is how so many smart, accomplished people get outvoted by cynical back slappers.
For the record Danielle Smith contacted me by email to discuss a personal meeting. Unfortunately, I am too busy these days and couldn't make the time.
However, any claim that she doesn't represent the grassroots simply because she didn't reply to your one inquiry on the website is simply bogus.
She is out there, meeting the electorate, attending barbeques and helping out.
Commenting by HaloScan
