Houston wins Nova Scotia Tory leadership after main challenger drops out
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Progressive Conservatives have a new leader after the second place challenger in the five-way race dramatically dropped off the ballot Saturday at the party’s convention in Halifax.
Tim Houston watched as Cecil Clarke strode across the floor with a train of his supporters, minutes after the results of the first ballot left the party’s finance critic just 53 points shy of the 2,550 points needed to win under the convention’s weighted voting system.
Clarke, who won 1,385 points on the first ballot, told Houston he conceded early because he wanted to ensure party unity coming out of the convention.
A beaming Houston said he was grateful for Clarke’s magnanimous move, which was later seconded by the remaining candidates in the race when they also dropped off the ballot.