Nate Horner, UCP candidate for the Drumheller-Stettler riding, triumphed in the April 16 provincial election, defeating incumbent Rick Strankman by an extremely wide margin.
“I’m kind of humbled and just honoured – it’s been a lot of work and I’ve met so many great people,” said Horner.
“It hits you when you see it on the TV screen there - I’m grateful and thankful. I think we have a good message and a great team and I’m just honoured to see the support that we are receiving tonight.”
Horner decidedly edged out Strankman, who was first elected in 2012 for the Wildrose and had been sitting as an independent MLA after refusing to join the new conjoined UCP.
Horner clobbered the competition with 17,02 votes while Strankman was a tremendously distant second with just 1,840.
“What I always thought resonated with people was when you went and made the miles and asked them what their issues were first, before you told them what was important to you,” explained Horner.
“In a riding like this, which is this big, I don’t think you can afford to just carry your flag. You need to get in there and know their issues so that when you do get an opportunity, you can facilitate a solution somehow.”
Rounding out the remaining candidates in Drumheller-Stettler were Holly Heffernan for the NDP, Jason Hushagen for the Alberta Independence Party, Greg Herzog of the Alberta Advantage Party and Alberta Party candidate Mark Nikota.
Looking ahead, Horner noted that the party is already moving forward to repeal the carbon tax by May 30 in part of what he called, “the summer of repeals.”
Horner a rancher from Pollockville, south of Hanna, has an ag business diploma as Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture and has a goal of helping turn Alberta’s economic situation around.
“My goal is to help the UCP make Alberta, once again, the most competitive jurisdiction in North America, make government smaller, massively decrease our regulatory burden and stand up for ourselves and our industries,” he said.
Moving on
For Strankman, the loss marks a new chapter in his life. But he’s not done with being involved in community life and standing up for the issues he believes in.
“Nothing has changed for me – entrenching property rights for one thing is imperative to the area,” he said. “I’ll still be around fighting for property rights,” he said.
“It’s intrinsic, it’s in my blood.”
He added though that he was pleased to see the conservatives grab back power.
“I’ve always been a ‘cup is half full’ kind of guy, so we will just continue on. I’ve got good health, I’ve got family and good support. We will continue on.”