The UCP's Justin Wright is seen at the candidates' forum on May 18, 2023. (CHAT News File Photo)

By Chris Brown

Cypress-Medicine Hat voters choose UCP’s Justin Wright

May 29, 2023 | 11:04 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Cypress-Medicine Hat voters have returned the constituency to the United Conservative Party, CHAT News has projected.

Full Election Coverage: Alberta Votes 2023

With 17 of 18 polls reporting the UCP’s Justin Wright has earned 8,305 votes, about 63 per cent of the vote. Cathy Hogg of the Alberta NDP has earned 4,942 votes, about 34 per cent.

Speaking to CHAT News after being declared the winner, Wright said he was thankful and humbled by the trust voters put in him to push forward a new vision for the riding.

He also thanked the “rock star team” he had behind him including his family and supporters.

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Going forward, Wright says he’ll look to connect with the grassroots of the party and hear their perspectives to push forward a vision that they align with.

“I think that’s the key in really anything that you do whether it’s business or whether politics,” he says. “Listen to that grassroots, take their feedback and ultimately go from there.”

Matt Orr of the Wildrose Loyalty Coaltion received 265 votes (1.8 per cent) and Cody Both of the Independence Party of Alberta received 212 votes (1.5 per cent).

For the past 11 years the constituency has been represented by Drew Barnes, who chose not to run for re-election this year. Barnes was elected as a member of the Wildrose Party in 2012 and 2015 and a UCP member in 2019. In May 2021 he was kicked out of the UCP caucus by then-leader and premier Jason Kenney and has since sat as an Independent.

In 2019 Barnes won the riding with 67 per cent of the vote. The NDP’s Peter Mueller was the runner-up with 26 per cent. Prior to Barnes first win the riding was represented by Progressive Conservative party members Lorne Taylor (1993-2004) and Leonard Mitzel (2004-2012).

Taylor was the first MLA for the riding, which was created in 1993 out of the former Cypress-Redcliff district.

The riding was redrawn again for the 2019 election to create two blended urban and rural ridings in Cypress-Medicine Hat and Brooks-Medicine Hat.