Former cabinet minister and football player Obby Khan was elected leader of Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative party over the weekend in a closely contested two-way race that was decided by less than one percentage point.
Khan won against longtime party board member Wally Daudrich to assume leadership of the provincial Opposition party, which holds 20 of the 57 seats in the legislature.
Daudrich garnered 53 more votes than Khan in the mail-in ballot election, but the party’s newly implemented electoral district points system placed Khan ahead with 50.4 percent of the total points, while Daudrich secured 49.6 percent, according to results posted to the party’s website.
“I understand, we might not always agree … and that’s OK. But as long as we’re open and honest and respectful, we can have those conversations and we can move together forward as one Progressive Conservative party here in Manitoba,” Khan said during his victory speech.
“Whether you voted for Wally—a lot of people did—whether you voted for me, or you didn’t vote, I thank you for being a member of this party. But now we all need to come together because you win in politics, you win in life, through addition, not subtraction.”
Daudrich spoke with well-wishers but chose not to address the crowd. A representative from his campaign said Daudrich accepts the election results.
The Progressive Conservatives said on social media that Khan will immediately take over as leader of the official Opposition, with the legislature set to resume on May 5.
The party has been focused on rebuilding since losing the 2023 provincial election to the NDP, leading to the resignation of former Premier Heather Stefanson.
Stefanson’s leadership win in 2021 was also achieved by a slim margin, and defeated candidate Shelly Glover contested the outcome in court, alleging there were multiple voting irregularities. A judge dismissed her case, saying she didn’t provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate that any irregularities could have altered the outcome.
Khan Pushing ‘Big Tent’ Philosophy
Khan, the MLA for Fort Whyte, received the backing of most caucus members. He described himself as the type of politician who can work with a wide range of people.“As our big tent emerges, we are 11,000 strong and ready to begin a new era of grassroots involvement based on mutual respect and transparency,” Khan said in an April 27 Facebook post. “We are on the verge of a new era of growth and opportunity. An era that will demand the ingenuity, teamwork and energy that only the PC Party of Manitoba can and will deliver.”
Daudrich ran a different campaign with a focus on returning to the party’s more conservative positions, saying he would focus on smaller government and a more business-friendly environment.
Daudrich, a hotelier, has raised the possibility of running for a legislature seat in the Spruce Woods constituency, which is facing a byelection following the recent resignation of Tory MLA Grant Jackson, who resigned to run as a federal candidate in the Brandon-Souris riding. Daudrich has yet to publicly announce his candidacy.
Khan is an entrepreneur and former professional Canadian Football League centre who played nine seasons, first with the Ottawa Renegades and then with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Calgary Stampeders.
He entered politics in 2022 when he ran for the PCs in the Fort Whyte by-election, beating out Liberal candidate Willard Reaves, another former CFL player.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
