 | |
| Date | June 14, 1969 |
|---|---|
| Convention | Saint John, New Brunswick |
| Resigning leader | Charles Van Horne |
| Won by | Richard Hatfield |
| Ballots | 1 |
| Candidates | 5 (including two withdrawers) |
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick held a leadership election on June 14, 1969, in Saint John, New Brunswick, to elect a new leader for the party. The position had been vacant since former leader Charles Van Horne's resignation in early 1968; Van Horne previously vowed to do so in the likelihood of his defeat in the 1967 provincial election, which he lost to the Liberal Party led by Louis Robichaud.
The front-running candidates for the leadership election were Richard Hatfield, a legislative member for Carleton who had been serving as house leader ever since Van Horne's resignation, as well as Van Horne himself, who decided to run for leadership again. Three other candidates, of whom only Mathilda Blanchard didn't withdraw, also sought candidacy. Hatfield won the leadership election with 799 votes, or 58.5 percent of the votes cast. After securing leadership for the party, Hatfield went on to defeat Robichaud in the 1970 provincial election and further led the party through three re-elections, becoming the longest-served premier in the province. His leadership collapsed after a string of controversies led to his party losing every seat in his 1987 provincial re-election, leading to his immediate resignation. The next leadership election was not held until 1989, two decades after this one.
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search