Challenger wins PC nomination in 'rare' upset over incumbent MLA

Mike Holland achieved a rare feat Saturday by capturing the Progressive Conservative nomination for the riding of Albert and ousting incumbent PC MLA Brian Keirstead.

Holland, a 47-year-old from Riverview, N.B.,known for his entrepreneurial pursuits with outdoor gear, said he didn't realize how uncommon it is to upset a sitting MLA seeking re-election until after the outcome was announced at the convention in Hillsborough.

He said he'd have to check Wikipedia, but the online encyclopedia doesn't hold the answers. Records for riding by riding party nomination contests are scattershot at best. One known instance occurred 40 years ago.

"Cases of these are so rare for a sitting MLA, an incumbent, to be upset in a nomination contest," said J.P. Lewis, an associate professor of political science at the University of New Brunswick Saint John.

"The drama of political parties can always be a bit of a mystery because they set their own rules and a lot of the ongoings are maybe happening between the small network of people running the political party."

Lewis said there could be many factors at play and he could only speculate as to why a respected MLA like Keirstead was defeated in a riding that's almost a lock for the PCs.

Keirstead, who was elected to his first term in 2014, said it came down a collection of individual decisions that weren't in his favour, instead of some orchestrated plot behind the scenes.

"As much as we like to we know what's going on, we've seen some extreme upsets politically on all levels of governments," he said. "It's part of the political game; it's part of the political process."

Compelled to run

After deciding to seek the nomination last fall, Holland had ample time to court Albert PC party members and raise his profile, which already comes with a tinge of celebrity. He appeared on the television show Dragon's Den to pitch his company, The Resourceful Redneck.

Holland is also known in PC circles, having worked and volunteered with the party for many years. He even served as executive assistant to PC ministers.

His decision to run had nothing to do with anything Keirstead did or didn't do as MLA, Holland said, but rather that he felt compelled to run.

"An intersection of opportunity and preparedness had come up where I felt like it was time for me to exercise that experience and, of course, incredible desire to be involved in bringing a PC government to power here in New Brunswick," Holland said.

'Will of the people'

Both the PC party president, Rick Lafrance, and the riding association president, Karen Jackman, said nomination contests are a "democratic process" and open to challenges from party members.

"What happened there was the democratic process and the will of the people," said Lafrance, while thanking Keirstead for his work for the party.

He said there have been no other incumbents challenged and, as of Tuesday, 26 PC candidates have been acclaimed.

Jackman said the exact results of the secret ballot vote were not released, but it was a "decisive" victory for Holland.

"I think Mike Holland has a very charismatic personality," she said. "I think he worked hard in the county. He knows a lot of people and has a lot connections, and people responded very, very well to him."

It happened before

In 1978, a sitting MLA was defeated for the party nomination when John Munn beat Sterling Hambrook to be the PC candidate for Southwest Miramichi. Munn then lost to Liberal Morris Green in the provincial election.

Keirstead said at this time he's not sure what's next for him, but he will remain a PC party member and support their bid to return to power. He also remains the Albert riding MLAuntil the writ drops.

"Whether it's politics or business or anything else, often times life isn't without some kind of setback," he said. "You take it in stride and you look forward and you look positive on things."