Tory leadership candidates are signing up new allies, hoping endorsements from Alberta politicians will help them come out on top Saturday.

Jason Kenny, the Tory MP for Calgary Southeast, said Tuesday he will be spending the next few days in the province talking up candidate Ted Morton in advance of the weekend vote.

MP Jason Kenny is backing Ted Morton to lead the Alberta Tory party.
(CBC News)

"I know him, I know his personal qualities and respect and admire his integrity," said Kenny. "He represents fresh ideas and new energy."

Morton, Jim Dinning and Ed Stelmach are the only candidates left in the race to replace Ralph Klein as head of the provincial Progressive Conservative party.

Any Albertan with a $5 party membership can vote on a preferential ballot Saturday.

Morton couldn't form government: Mar

Ed Stelmach talking to reporters after accepting Mark Norris' endorsement Tuesday.
(CBC News)

Cabinet minister Gary Mar has said he will not run for re-election if Morton wins, since he believes the party's 35-year reign over Alberta would end.

"If we went to a general election with premier Ted Morton we would fail to form a government in the next general election."

Allan Buck, the mayor of Cold Lake, said many leaders in his region are worried about what a Morton-led government would mean for their communities.

"He's sort of a dark horse candidate, came out of nowhere. I guess there is a bit of fear as to where he might go with the province."

Stelmach gathering endorsements

Ed Stelmach has picked up the most support from candidates who didn't make the final cut on the first ballot, which was cast Nov. 25.

Mark Norris has joined Lyle Oberg and Dave Hancock in endorsing Stelmach, who came third on the ballot.

"Ed Stelmach is the only guy who will not drive this party further apart," Norris said on Monday.

"What we need right now is somebody who is going to bring us back together and Ed Stelmach is the man who is going to do it."

Norris said he has sold about 12,000 memberships, and he'll be asking those party members to vote for Stelmach.

"Ed has all of our machinery at his disposal," he said.

Stelmach said several more Tory MLAs support him, including Pearl Calahasen, Guy Boutilier and Doug Horner.

Edmonton mayor supports Dinning

Ken Kowalski, a veteran cabinet minister and one-time deputy premier, is supporting Dinning. But Kowalski, who is currently legislature Speaker, said he was not going to help the candidate in any official capacity.

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel is also endorsing Dinning, saying he has what it takes to represent all the areas of the province.

"When you look at the voting in the last weekend, we are concerned this is becoming a rural-urban split, a rural-urban fight, and we think there has to be a vision for the whole province."

Dinning placed first on the Nov. 25 ballot.

Mandel said he won't endorse Morton, but thinks Stelmach also understands the needs of urban areas.

Greg Pasychny, the mayor of Edson, said he doesn't like what he has seen of Morton so far and will be supporting Stelmach.

"He never came out here, never visited, he never got to hear our concerns in our area," he said.

Stelmach best understands the needs of towns like Edson, which are struggling in boom-time Alberta, he said. Dinning would be his second choice.

With files from the Canadian Press