Premier Jason Kenney (left) and Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf (right) at the Lethbridge Airport on May 11, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

MLA Neudorf will not run for UCP leadership

Jun 6, 2022 | 1:27 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The next leader of the United Conservative Party (UCP) will not be from Lethbridge.

In a statement on Monday, June 6, 2022, Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf confirmed that he will not enter the race for party leadership.

He says he will instead “continue to provide leadership and advocacy for Lethbridge in many other ways,” and that he will “continue working for unity in the provincial conservative movement.”

In an interview with LNN on June 2, Neudorf announced that he would be running for re-election in the 2023 provincial election and said that he was “considering” a bid to lead Alberta’s governing political party.

READ MORE: Neudorf running for re-election in Lethbridge-East, not ruling out UCP leadership bid

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Neudorf, who is also the UCP Caucus Chair, said last week that the party will look to become truly united ahead of next year’s election.

“I absolutely believe that we are resolute in being united behind whichever leader is chosen in that democratic process with the grassroots of our party,” Neudorf says, “and going into the next election as the United Conservative Party with a new leader, with a solid team, and I’m thrilled to be part of that team.”

On May 18, 2022, Jason Kenney announced his resignation as UCP leader following a leadership review vote. While Kenney did secure a slight majority of party member votes at 51.4%, he said it does not constitute a clear mandate, and that Albertans deserve a leader who can truly unite the province.

READ MORE: Jason Kenney resigns as UCP leader

So far, four names have come forward in the UCP leadership race: Brian Jean, Danielle Smith, Travis Toews, and Todd Loewen.

No date has been set for the UCP leadership vote yet, but it will need to happen before Alberta’s next provincial election, which is scheduled to take place on or before May 29, 2023.

Locally, Rob Miyashiro, representing the Alberta NDP, is the only confirmed candidate to be running against Neudorf for the Lethbridge-East riding in the next provincial election.

READ MORE: Former city councillor Rob Miyashiro nominated as Alberta NDP candidate for Lethbridge-East