Patrick Brown, who was eliminated from the Conservative Party (CCP) leadership race last week, backed the candidate he has the most Atoms with, former Quebec Prime Minister Jean Charest.
• Also read: Conservative Party leadership: Patrick Brown knew about illegal funding, says former organizer
Although Brown’s campaign team is continuing the legal process to get back in the running, “there’s a good chance it won’t work before the vote,” said a message sent to supporters Tuesday night.
“In the end, Jean Charest has a better chance of stopping Pierre Poilievre’s extremism,” it says.
Mr. Charest took in the news quickly. “Mr. Brown recruited 150,000 members who were looking for a home in our party. You will find one under my leadership. I will offer them a voice and respect,” he said on Twitter that evening.
Earlier in the day, the co-chair of Mr. Brown’s leadership campaign announced he was leaving ship to join Camp Charest.
“I have no doubt that Jean Charest is the unifying leader the party needs,” said John Reynolds, a former elected official who has seen several transfers in the Conservative clan over the past 50 years.
“Having seen how he campaigns, it is clear to me that he is now the only leading candidate capable of offering the Conservative Party of Canada a vision and a possible way forward. ‘Choice of a government’. added Mr Reynolds in a statement released by Mr Charest’s campaign.
A spokesman for Mr Brown’s campaign, Chisholm Pothier, said in an interview Tuesday afternoon that it was a “personal decision” by Mr Reynolds.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” he added, acknowledging that “the slope is for Patrick to climb [Brown] To be brought back into the race is abrupt.”
Jean Charest’s campaign warmly welcomed the arrival of Mr. Reynolds.
“We are pleased to see Mr. Brown’s organization and support join our camp,” said Laurence Tôth, spokeswoman for Mr. Charest.
Mr. Pothier qualified this statement. “Brown’s campaign is not officially over at this point, so no, the organization is not 100% moving towards Mr. Charest.”
Ms Tôth pointed out, however, that Jean Charest’s campaign had worked tirelessly to attract members of Mr Brown’s organization and supporters long before the mayor of Brampton was ousted.
“I think it will get worse in the coming weeks,” she believes.
A campaign that went sour
Mr Brown was kicked out of the Tory campaign last week following an anonymous allegation of illegal funding.
The whistleblower in question, Debra Jodoin, revealed her identity in broad daylight last Thursday. She claims that Mr. Brown assured her that it was possible to volunteer on his campaign while being paid for his work by a third-party company.
Brown’s campaign intends to appeal the CCP’s decision, as outside lawyers have already been brought in to work in what is expected to be a lengthy legal battle between the former candidate and the party.
Candidates Brown and Charest were expected to support each other as the September 10 election date nears. These are the only two candidates from the party’s progressive-conservative fringe.
PCC members who took their card before June 4 are eligible to select their candidates based on the multi-round system in order of preference. Thus, Mr. Brown’s supporters could choose the former Prime Minister of Quebec as a second option and vice versa.
According to the latest news, Patrick Brown’s name will remain on the ballots, but votes in his name will not be counted.
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?