The truth be told, Premier Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party no longer leans on massive rural wins to secure large majority governments.
Excluding the two northern seats (one of which was Cumberland, where the Sask. Party gave the NDP a run for its money) the NDP only won eight of city seats in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Moose Jaw.
This is only more seat than the NDP won in 2011, meaning the Sask. Party now clearly dominates the cities as well where it won 24 seats in last Monday’s election.
But the reality is that rural Saskatchewan remains the bedrock of what should now be described as Brad Wall/Sask. Party political dynasty in this province.
Consider how impenetrable rural Saskatchewan was for any other party last Monday.
Of the those 27 rural seats — all were won by the Sask. Party candidates — 21 of them were won by a margin of 50 percentage points or better.
In other words, Sask. Party candidates could have literally tossed out half of all votes cast — all cast on their behalf — and still have won.
Here’s another way of looking at it:
The “poorest” performance by an elected Sask. Party rural candidate was by Herb Cox who took 60.7 per cent of the vote — a full 28.8 percentage points ahead of his nearest NDP rival.
That was as bad as it got for the Sask. Party in rural Sask.
In fact, only Glen Hart in Last Mountain Touchwood (62.1 per cent of the popular vote — 39.2 percentage points ahead), Delbert Kirsch in Batoche (65 per cent popular vote — 30.4 percentage points ahead), Terry Dennis in Canora-Pelly (67.5 per cent popular vote — 46.9 percentage points ahead), Don McMorris in Indian Head-Milestone (67.6 per cent — 43.5 percentage points ahead), and, surprisingly, Bill Boyd in Kindersley (67.8 per cent — 50.1 per cent ahead of independent and former Sask. Party MLA Jason Dearborn) were below 70 per cent.
Sask. Party rural MLAs that garnered between 70 and 75 per cent of the popular vote included: Huge Nerlien, 70 per cent, 51.5 percentage points ahead, Jeremy Harrison, Meadow Lake, 70.4 per cent, 47.2 percentage points ahead; Scott Moe, 71.6 per cent, 52.1 percentage points ahead; Steven Bonk, Moosomin, 72.1 per cent, 57.5 percentage pints ahead; Warren Kaeding, Melville-Saltcoats, 72.3 per cent, 50.1 percentage points ahead; Greg Ottenbreit, Yorkton, 72.8 per cent, 50.3 percentage points ahead; Greg Brkich, Arm River, 73.4 per cent, 58.4 percentage ahead; Donna Harpauer, Humboldt-Watrous, 74.5 per cent, 54.3 percentage points ahead, and; Lyle Stewart, 75 per cent, 55.1 percentage points ahead.
There were 13 Sask. Party rural winners with more than 75 per cent of the vote including: David Marit, Wood River, 76 per cent, 63.7 percentage points ahead; Fred Bradshaw, Carrot River Valley, 76.1 per cent, 55.8 percentage points ahead;
Randy Weekes, Biggar-Saskatchewan Valley, 76.5 per cent, 58 percentage points ahead; Kevin Phillips, 77 per cent, 57.7 percentage points ahead. Jim Reiter, 77.2 per cent, 77.9 per cent, 58.7 percentage points ahead; Dustin Duncan, Weyburn-Big Muddy, 78.8 per cent, 67.3 percentage points ahead; 67.3 Lori Carr, Estevan, 68.7 percentage points ahead; Nancy Heppner, Martensville-Warman, 79.4, 66.2 percentage points ahead Douglas Steele, Cypress Hills, 79.5 per cent, 67.5 percentage points ahead; Larry Doke, Cut Knife-Turtleford, 79.9 per cent, 66.6 percentage points ahead; Brad Wall, Swift Current, 82.5 per cent, 67.3 percentage points ahead; Dan D’Autremont, Cannington, 84.4 per cent, 74.6 percentage points ahead, and; Colleen Young, Lloydminster 86.7 per cent, 77.8 percentage points ahead.
Dynasty? Some might take umbrage with throwing around such terms after a mere eight years and three election wins.
But given the magnitude of these wins in rural Saskatchewan, is there any doubt the Sask. Party will remain in power for a very long time?
Murray Mandryk has been covering provincial politics for over 22 years.
