Nenshi announces run for Edmonton-Strathcona seat to 'go head-to-head' with Smith

New Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi has found a way into the Alberta legislature – and one that's practically guaranteed, experts say – to face off against Premier Danielle Smith. 

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Nenshi confirmed on Friday he was seeking his party's nomination to run as a candidate in the Edmonton-Strathcona constituency, vacated by former premier and Alberta NDP leader Rachel Notley on Dec. 30.

"This nomination means that I’ll be in the legislature to go head-to-head with Danielle Smith soon," Nenshi said in a statement posted to social media.

"I believe Alberta New Democrats can be a thoughtful government-in-waiting with real solutions for Alberta families."

Nenshi does not have a seat in the legislature, having declined to run in the Lethbridge-West by-election in mid-December, which was won by NDP candidate Rob Miyashiro.

That move made attempting to fill Notley's seat an obvious one, agree Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt and political communications expert Stephen Carter of Decide Campaigns.

Finding another empty seat was a double-edged sword, Carter explained.

"You don't want to have people saying, 'I'm out of here,' as soon as the new leader comes in. So he's got the loyalty of his MLAs but he's not got so much loyalty that someone would bite the bullet and step down for him to run."

Notley's resignation is a tidy solution, Bratt echoed.

"He'll win easily. It is the safest NDP seat in the province."

Both pundits wonder if Nenshi, Calgary's mayor for 12 years, will stay in Alberta's capital city long term, assuming he wins Edmonton-Strathcona, when the NDP needs to keep growing support in the southern city.

Nenshi said on Friday his Edmonton-Strathcona nomination does not mean he is leaving the southern city "behind."

"While still proudly Calgarian, I’m already dividing my time between the two cities and I’m looking forward to learning more about Edmonton."

Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz called Nenshi's nomination a "smart move."

"It connects him to not only Edmonton, but a strong base of voters that have consistently been part of the muscle of the NDP movement," he added.

Despite Nenshi's Calgary address, Janz isn't worried about having a "come-from-away" MLA in his ward, saying the new NDP leader is well underway building relationships in the city.

"He's hit the ground running," Janz said. "The concerns we have are really universal to all Edmontonians and to all Albertans – questions about safety, questions about affordability, the housing crisis … I think he understands the issues, I think he understands the people."

Bratt and Carter said too much is scheduled to happen in the next two years to know Nenshi's long-term strategy. First, the Edmonton-Strathcona race.

Nenshi will be the third Alberta NDP leader to run in Edmonton-Strathcona, following in the steps of Notley and Raj Pannu.

Smith has until June 30 to call a byelection.

In a statement, she said she asked the party's president Friday morning to initiate the nomination process.

“It’s important that all Albertans are being served and represented by their local MLA," she said.

"The residents of Edmonton-Strathcona will have a choice when they go to the polls to elect a new representative."

However Nenshi arrives in the legislature, the pundits agree it'll end the same way.

As Bratt put it, "We'll see fireworks between him and the premier."

With files from CTV News Edmonto's Chelan Skulski, CTV News Calgary and The Canadian Press