The Wildrose Alliance is enjoying a dramatic increase in support after a stunning by-election victory in the riding of Calgary-Glenmore.
It was standing room only as the party held a leadership debate in Calgary Wednesday night .
The party is in the middle of a leadership campaign, with all candidates promising a smaller government, a different royalty framework, and more breaks for business.
This debate attracted hundreds of supporters and the party says it's signing up thousands of new members.
"We have to hire more staff because we can't process the phone calls because people want memberships and the donations that are coming in." said Calgary-Glenmore MLA Elect Paul Hinman.
On Monday the party scored a major upset, winning a by-election in Calgary-Glenmore, ending forty years of Tory dominance.
"Glenmore was explosive. Glenmore was the demarcation line," said University of Calgary Political Scientist, David Taras.
Taras says once the party picks a leader, it will need to capitalize on those voters abandoning the Stelmach government.
"We don't really know what this party will be, but we know there is this anger looking for a place. So there is thunder on the right, I think the Tories are very nervous."
The three candidates running in the leadership race are Danielle Smith, Mark Dyrholm, and Jeff Willerton.
The party will pick its new leader on October 17.
