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The Alberta NDP leadership race saw its first dropout Tuesday, with Edmonton MLA Rakhi Pancholi withdrawing to throw her support behind former Calgary mayor and party outsider Naheed Nenshi.

In February, Pancholi announced her intention to run in the race to replace current party Leader Rachel Notley, with hopes of broadening the tent and welcoming more Albertans into the NDP fold. In an email to supporters marking the end of her campaign Tuesday morning, she endorsed Nenshi as the best choice for the party’s growth.

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According to Pancholi, recent membership numbers provided by the party show that Nenshi has “more than doubled” the Alberta NDP’s membership since he announced his leadership bid two weeks ago. Postmedia requested official numbers from the Alberta NDP but did not immediately receive a response.

“We must move forward to offer a positive alternative to the UCP that Albertans can enthusiastically support in the next election,” Pancholi said in a statement. “And I believe that means uniting behind the next leader, Naheed Nenshi.”

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Pancholi said the decision to withdraw from the race was not easy.

“I have loved every moment of this journey. The Albertans I’ve talked to, the members I’ve shared a coffee with and the incredible team of people who have given their time, ideas and passion to our campaign have been unforgettable,” she said.

“I’m so proud of the race that I’ve run and grateful to the thousands of Albertans who have supported me in the vision of building an Alberta NDP that creates opportunity for all of us — and for all our children.”

She thanked her family, campaign team and supporters for their efforts related to her leadership bid.

“I am looking forward to working with Naheed as we build this new vision,” said Pancholi. “He has grown our party by bringing tens of thousands of Albertans into the Alberta NDP, broadening our movement significantly.”

As of Dec. 31 last year, the total number of Alberta NDP members was 16,224.

Nenshi has claimed he’s received endorsements from more than 6,000 Albertans since the campaign began.

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Endorsement bolsters Nenshi’s ‘frontrunner status’

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said Pancholi’s endorsement expands Nenshi’s “frontrunner status.”

“When a candidate enters the race late, but still doubles the overall NDP membership in a week, that is a real sign of strength. Nenshi has demonstrated that he can broaden the NDP tent,” he said in a post on X. 

Remaining in the race are Nenshi, Calgary MLA Kathleen Ganley, Edmonton MLAs Sarah Hoffman and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, and Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan.

In a statement Tuesday, Hoffman said she’d miss Pancholi on the debate stage and commended her on her “thoughtful and stylish” campaign. Hoffman added she “has never been more hopeful and optimistic” about her own campaign.

“I’ve won five elections in a row by working hard and staying true to my NDP values. I’m incredibly excited by the response we’ve received from members and new members to our message of Health, Climate, and Housing,” she said.

Ganley also commended Pancholi’s campaign, and added she’s spoken with “thousands of people” who are excited about the party’s future. 

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“As a Calgarian, I am particularly excited to see two candidates from this city growing our party — I know thousands of people from this city alone have purchased a membership from Team Ganley already,” she said. “My campaign is focused on building an economy that works for people and a winning team in 2027.”

Party members will begin voting for the Alberta NDP’s next leader on June 3, and those who want to vote must have a party membership before April 22. Voting will run until noon on June 22, with the results set to be announced that evening.

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— With files from Bill Kaufmann

mrodriguez@postmedia.com

X: @MichaelRdrguez

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