Five people are in the race to succeed Brad Wall as premier.Mark Taylor/The Canadian Press
Barely two weeks after announcing his intention to seek the Saskatchewan Party leadership and replace Premier Brad Wall, Jeremy Harrison says he's dropping out of the race and will support former environment minister Scott Moe.
"Scott is a longtime friend and the candidate in this race who most closely shares both my values and principles," Harrison, the former economy minister and MLA for Meadow Lake, said Friday in a news release.
Moe resigned from cabinet earlier this week and announced his intention to run Friday morning in Saskatoon.
Moe said in a statement he's inspired by everything the province has achieved in the last 10 years, and that the Saskatchewan Party's founding members and Premier Brad Wall knew the province's potential.
"That vision is as true today as it was 20 years ago," Moe said. "Renewal is not just about one person, it's about stepping forward together as a team to stand with Saskatchewan and ensure the foundation that Premier Wall built remains strong."
Moe was first elected to the legislature in 2011 and has served as the minister of advanced education, environment, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan Water Corporation and the Saskatchewan Water Security Agency.
Five people are in the race to succeed Wall, who will step down as soon as a new party leader is chosen in Saskatoon on Jan. 27.
Wall stipulated cabinet ministers had to step down in order to seek the leadership.
The other candidates are Alanna Koch, the premier's former deputy minister, former parks minister Ken Cheveldayoff, former social services minister Tiny Beaudry-Mellor and former justice minister Gord Wyant.
Moe picked up the support from Health Minister Jim Reiter, who was on hand for Moe's announcement in Saskatoon.
"He has become a leader in our caucus and cabinet and I know he is the best person to lead our team and the Saskatchewan Party forward," Reiter said.
Harrison, who represents the riding of has already been replaced as economy minister by Steven Bonk, who was given the portfolio earlier this week when Wall shuffled his cabinet to replace the departing candidates.
Harrison had said that if he became premier, he'd sell the province's stake in the Global Transportation Hub, a controversial land deal where Saskatchewan's auditor said the province "significantly" overpaid for land to build a hub and bypass around Regina.
But he took heat from Opposition politicians who noted he'd previously defended the deal.
On Friday, Harrison thanked people in Saskatchewan and conservatives from across Canada who have supported him over the past weeks.
"I will be forever appreciative," he said in the statement.