Winning big with an incumbent: Behind Tim Houston's victory with Miller, MacKeen & Mitchener

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Greetings, you curiouser and curiouser Herle Burly-ites! You know, there’s only ONE Provincial Premier in this country that has bucked the electoral trend since Covid – which is to say, NOT lost the election, or eked out a tiny margin of victory, or just managed to retain a majority with a vastly diminished number of seats.

That Premier (and former Herle Burly guest) is Tim Houston of Nova Scotia, who, this week, increased his majority from 34 to 43 seats (out of 55). Crushing the Liberals and making the NDP the new official opposition in the process.  Premier Houston is one of one.

Today, we’re talking to the leaders and architects of the campaign that helped him do it. A dream team victory lap, as it were: Cameron Mackeen, Tara Miller, and James Mitchener join us today.

A few, very brief biographical notes:

Cameron MacKeen served as Premier Houston’s campaign co-chair for both the 2021 and 2024 elections. He’s a managing lawyer with Nova Scotia Legal Aid, and a former Leg. Reporter at the Chronicle Herald.

Tara Miller served as co-chair for the 2024 election. She’s been recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada for 3 years running … and is a partner, and the “M”, in MDW Law. 

James Mitchener was campaign manager in both 2021 and 2024. He’s currently Premier Houston’s Director of Operations and Strategic Relations.

I’m going to talk to them about the whole, goddamn successful story today:

• The only incumbent government in Canada to increase their margin of seats and votes in a high inflation period. How did they do it?
• The risk/reward calculus for going early. 
• The core strategies. 
• The federal Liberal wedge and why it was so effective.

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