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But without doubt, this is Tory country, and you'll be in a tough battle in the two ridings that make up this part of the province if your sign isn't blue.
In the 2000 federal election, the combined Alliance-Conservative vote in both Brandon-Souris and Portage-Lisgar outstripped the Liberals by more than 16,500 votes. By comparison, Manitoba's safest Liberal seat, Winnipeg South, was won by Reg Alcock with a 5,100-vote margin over the combined right wing vote.
No matter, neither Brian Pallister, the incumbent Conservative MP in Portage-Lisgar, nor Merv Tweed in Brandon-Souris is counting his chickens just yet.
"I think it's very important we get people out to vote," Pallister said when asked how confident he is about winning.
The Brandon-Souris seat has no incumbent. Tory Rick Borotsik, upset by the merger of his party and the Canadian Alliance, decided not to run again.
Tweed, who represented Turtle-Mountain, a provincial riding that falls within the Brandon-Souris area, resigned his provincial seat to run federally.
"It feels good at the door,"...