File photo of Alberta Education Minister and Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange. (Gov't of Alberta YouTube)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

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LaGrange wins Red Deer-North UCP nomination with 57.8% of vote

Aug 19, 2022 | 3:25 PM

Alberta’s Education Minister Adriana LaGrange will get to defend her seat in Red Deer-North come the next provincial election.

LaGrange won a nomination vote on Thursday night, going up against Andrew Clews, creator of a group called Hold the Line.

“I’m grateful to all members who came to vote. It was a hard fought nomination and I would like to thank my opponent for putting his name forward in the spirit of public service,” says LaGrange, former board chair of Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools until she was elected in 2019.

“I’m looking ahead to ensure we beat the NDP next year and keep Red Deer blue. I’m focused on getting the hospital expansion built. Additionally, I’m focused on issues such as affordability, supporting our business owners and farmers, and standing up to Ottawa.”

There were just over 500 votes cast by UCP members in Red Deer-North, which is about 50 per cent turnout, LaGrange’s camp says.

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They wouldn’t share the specific vote breakdown out of respect for Clews, though he shared with rdnewsNOW that it was a 290 to 212 result. This means LaGrange won with 57.8 per cent of votes cast.

“We are disappointed in the result, but very proud of our team and for all the hard work they put into this race,” says Clews, a local project manager in commercial construction. “I hope that we sent a message that there is a large population in Red Deer-North who want their voice heard. We ask that the minister listens to the concerns that our campaign raised, and will be a champion of freedom, as she promised in her campaign.”

Two nominees are currently in the running for Red Deer-North’s NDP candidacy — Jaelene Tweedle and Craig Curtis.