The riding of Fort Rouge could be a tough race in the provincial election, with two high-profile candidates and no incumbent.
Five candidates are vying for the seat: Manitoba Liberal leader Rana Bokhari, Wab Kinew for the NDP, Audrey Gordon for the Progressive Conservatives, Grant Sharp for the Green Party and independent Matthew Ostrove.
Fort Rouge has voted NDP since 1999, with former cabinet minister Jennifer Howard serving from 2007 to 2016.
Howard left politics in January to focus on her children and a new job in Ottawa, leaving her seat up for grabs.
“This constituency is actually a swing constituency. It’s not always been NDP with Jennifer Howard and Tim Sales before that,” said political author and analyst Christopher Adams.
Adams believes the NDP replaced Howard with high-profile candidate Wab Kinew to force Bokhari into a race for her own riding.
But Kinew’s nomination wasn’t without controversy. Lyrics from a former career in music and tweets drew criticism for their depiction of women and members of the LGTBQ community.
PC candidate Audrey Gordon opened her campaign office Sunday. She said Fort Rouge residents tell her they are ready for a change.
Green Party candidate Grant Sharp said that the high-profile candidates in Fort Rouge don’t necessarily represent the views of constituents, and that neither are presenting a full case when it comes to energy use.
Matthew Ostrove is running as an independent candidate under the Manitoba Party. He is committed to growing the private sector and creating jobs for young people. Ostrove previously ran in 2011 for the Manitoba Liberal Party.
Manitobans head to the polls on April 19.
