Albas enters race to replace Stockwell Day: Penticton Herald

Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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Dan Albas hopes to make the jump from municipal to federal politics.
Albas became the first official candidate Tuesday to seek the Conservative nomination in Okanagan-Coquihalla following MP Stockwell Day‘s retirement announcement.
Albas, who topped the polls as councillor in Penticton‘s 2008 civic election, said he had been approached by several supporters in the past few days urging him to run.
"It‘s an exciting time. Stockwell has left some big shoes for anyone to fill," he said. "I‘m looking forward to meeting with other (Conservative) members and talking about where we need to take our party here in Okanagan-Coquihalla."
Tory nomination meetings will be held next Tuesday - in Merritt from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and in Penticton at the Ramada Inn starting at 6:30 p.m.
"I agree that the time line (for campaigning) is very short, but at the same token I can see with an election looming in the background, they‘d want to take care of these details," he said.
"I can‘t emphasize enough how important it is to our riding and the constituents to have someone who is connected to the people and then going and standing up for his or her constituents in Ottawa."
Albas declined to comment on whether he would resign from Penticton council if he won the Conservative nomination, suggesting such speculation is premature.
He is a former president of the Conservative riding association in Okanagan-Coquihalla and has already launched his own campaign website at www.danalbas.com.