And then, in 2015, a sea change occurred: the NDP's surprise win over the PCs and its right-wing rivals, the Wildrose.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-voter-turnout-outlier-among-general-declines-other-provinces-territories-1.6859423?cmp=rss

But more recently, he served as the founding leader of the separatist Wildrose Independence Party, which was a merger of the Freedom Conservative Party and the Wexit Alberta group, from 2020 until he was ousted in 2022.

Source: https://daveberta.ca/2023/03/justin-wright-defeats-james-finkbeiner-in-cypress-medicine-hat-ucp-race-paul-hinman-starting-a-new-wildrose-party/

Dur, a former provincial candidate for the Wildrose Alliance and a political operations specialist, also calls it "the takeover."

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-in-depth-pro-life-political-party-1.6821605?cmp=rss

In the 2012 election, Smith and the Wildrose appeared primed to end the PC dynasty.

Source: https://www.baytoday.ca/national-news/journalist-to-premier-the-political-journey-of-alberta-premier-danielle-smith-7069648

Notley recounted how, in 2014, Smith promised to never cross the floor as Wildrose Party leader only to lead most of her caucus to join the governing Progressive Conservatives.

Source: https://www.baytoday.ca/national-news/smith-notley-square-off-in-alberta-election-debate-ask-voters-who-do-they-trust-7021872

Recent public opinion polls show the two parties nearly tied for public support, with the Alberta Party and the Wildrose Independence Party of Alberta trailing far behind.

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/environics-western-alienation-survey-1.6801714?cmp=rss