Conservatives in Battlefords-Lloydminster have selected Rosemarie Falk as their candidate in the upcoming by-election.
Falk was announced as the winner at the Tropical Inn in North Battleford on Saturday night, defeating four other candidates in the nomination race: Aron Klassen, Richard Nelson, Bernie Morton and John Hildebrand. As is customary at nomination meetings, vote totals were not announced.
In speaking to reporters, Falk said she was "really honoured that Conservatives here have chosen a young, principled woman who has a family to represent them on the byelection ballot."
Falk is 29 years old and a Lloydminster resident. She has been a Parliament Hill staffer and is a social worker by training -- a career path that she said has made her "more conservative".
When asked what won her the nomination, she said "the people."
"The people had the choice. We're a grassroots party. We've tried to speak to as many people as we could, and they've spoken."
The nomination ends a competitive Conservative nomination race to succeed Gerry Ritz, the 20-year Conservative MP for the riding.
The votes took place at meetings of party members in three different venues: Unity on Friday night, and then Lloydminster and North Battleford on Saturday.
While the formal nomination period was very short, only six days following the by-election call, some candidates had been campaigning for weeks.Falk said she had been actively organizing and campaigning for the nomination ever since Ritz announced his resignation.
Falk expects to get started with her election campaign right away, and "show Justin Trudeau we have strong Conservative support here." The intention is to have a campaign office open in North Battleford starting this week.
