Outgoing PC MLA may not support Christian conservative successor

The Progressive Conservative MLA for Hampton says he doesn't think he can vote for the Christian conservative activist who is set to replace him as the party candidate in the next election.

Gary Crossman says he has heard concern in his riding about how Faytene Grasseschi has campaigned for the nomination and he isn't sure he can support her.

"No," he told CBC News in an interview when asked if he'd vote for Grasseschi.

He quickly added: "At the present time I'm undecided. I don't know anything about her. What I see, it's not what we're here for. It's not why I — I'm in the game to help people, all parties, all ages, [to] be as fair as you can."

Crossman's comments come as the battle over the nomination in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martin's takes yet another turn.

'Postponed' nominating meeting to proceed

When the deadline for nominations passed Tuesday afternoon, Grasseschi was the only candidate for the PC nomination in the riding.

But the executive of the party riding association told members late Tuesday afternoon it now plans to postpone the Dec. 19 nominating meeting "due to logistical challenges, including limited volunteer availability."

The executive said in its email to members that it has a legal opinion it can reschedule the event "independently" of the party head office.

But PC executive director Doug Williams told CBC News a postponement "is not really an option" because of various timelines and requirements in the PC party constitution already set in motion.

In a notice to members he said members were sent "incorrect information" and the nomination will go ahead.

"Providing incorrect voting information is a voter suppression tactic that we often hear about in other countries," he wrote.

"It's disappointing that this very negative, undemocratic practice is being used here in New Brunswick."

Vocal supporter of Policy 713 changes

Grasseschi is an activist and broadcaster well-known nationally among social conservatives, and a vocal supporter of Premier Blaine Higgs on his changes to Policy 713.

That policy now requires school staff to get the consent of parents before LGBTQ students under age 16 are allowed to use the names and pronouns they choose in classrooms.

Grasseschi says she has done well in the campaign because "the overwhelming majority" of party members she has met "profoundly appreciate having an authentic conservative option in our province — one that stands for families and for wise fiscal management."

In an email to CBC News, she said PC members want "an authentic conservative expression" rather than political parties that are all on "one side of the political spectrum."

Faytene Grasseschi said she hopes to work with Crossman to address issues in the riding. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

But Crossman says the turmoil over the nomination could make it hard for the PCs to win the seat in next year's election.

"It's certainly not going to help," said Crossman, who was first elected in 2014.

"I've talked to a lot of people. People talk to me and send me messages. They don't like that. They don't think it's transparent."

Grasseschi told CBC Tuesday she'll reach out to Crossman when she becomes the candidate and hopes to work with him to address issues in the riding.

"With the minister's years of service, I would trust our hearts to be united in this quest," she said in an email.

Deputy mayor drops out, cites misalignment of beliefs

Crossman announced Oct. 30 he will not run again and told CBC News he wanted Hampton deputy mayor Jeremy Salgado to be the PC candidate in the election next year.

But Salgado dropped out last week, citing what he called "the misalignment of my beliefs and values with the current structure of our party."

He also alleged Grasseschi was given "a considerable advantage" over him with advance notice of key information about the nomination process.

Both Grasseschi and Williams rejected that, noting the local Hampton riding board — made up of supporters of Salgado — chose the Dec. 19 date for the nomination convention.

In a social media post, Grasseschi said Salgado broke some rules about running for the nomination and the PC party was "quite gracious" to not disqualify him.

Grasseschi said she's being acclaimed this month "exclusively because Salgado's team initiated an early nomination date, and he apparently pulled out after seeing the support for my candidacy."

'It's like a full-force election campaign'

Crossman says some Tories in the riding have been put off by Grasseschi's approach, which he said has involved an unusually high amount of door-knocking, phone calls and flyers.

"It's a different nomination this time around. It's like a full-force election campaign over a year out," he said. "It's almost unheard of."

Grasseschi responded that she poured a lot of energy into her campaign because the premier was looking at a snap election this fall.

"I am a very hard worker, which will be an asset to anyone I serve," she said.

'Church-goers' boost membership

Grasseschi built a mailing list over the summer of people willing to join the PC party to support Higgs if he faced a challenge to his leadership over Policy 713 — an issue she defines as one of parental rights.

Crossman says he noticed new people signing up as Tories around the same time.

"I see the membership increasing from a lot of church-goers. The membership seems to be ramped up with strong feelings toward [Policy 713] back last spring," he said.

In October Grasseschi appealed to her followers to join the PC party to help nominate like-minded candidates for the next election.

She broadcasts her national show, Faytene TV, from New Brunswick through a non-profit company and also runs a separate activist group called 4 My Canada.

Former adherents of a religious movement called the New Apostolic Reformation told CBC News this summer that many of Grasseschi's writings align with the NAR, which advocates putting people with Christian values in government decision-making roles.

She said in July she was not "deeply acquainted" with that label.

Crossman said he didn't know whether he would attend the PC meeting on Dec. 19, where she is expected to be officially nominated.

"I'll have to see what I'm doing the 19th," he said. "I'll have to check my calendar."