The BC Conservatives’ Rapid Ascension
B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad mentions that he had an inkling of his party’s increasing popularity in early 2023. However, the true extent of it struck him after a provincial byelection last summer.
“It started to appear as a major development,” Mr. Rustad shared with The Epoch Times.
In the Langford–Juan de Fuca byelection in June 2023, the NDP candidate emerged victorious with 53 percent of the vote. Surprisingly, the Tory candidate secured second place with 20 percent, ahead of the Green candidate with 18 percent and the BC United candidate with 9 percent. Former NDP Premier John Horgan had held this seat since 2005, making the Conservative Party’s second-highest vote count quite remarkable.
Mr. Rustad expressed his disbelief at witnessing such a rapid rise in popularity for a political party in recent times. He stated, “We’ve tapped into, really, a grassroots movement that is around the province.”
Related Stories
“I’m unable to recall any instance where a political party has experienced such a surge in popularity in such a short timeframe,” he remarked. “We’ve managed to tap into a grassroots movement that spans across the province.”
Party Revival
Mr. Rustad, a former B.C. Liberals cabinet minister, assumed leadership of the B.C. Conservatives in March 2023.
Despite being established at the beginning of the 20th century, the Conservatives haven’t been a significant contender in the province for years.
