Is Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi interested in replacing Alison Redford?

Alison Redford pulled the plug on her political career Wednesday, announcing that she will step down as Alberta's premier effective Sunday.

The embattled Progressive Conservative party premier has been under fire in recent weeks for her questionable travel expenses, her budget woes and alleged crusty workplace manner; she's also had to face a caucus revolt, of sorts, with MLAs openly questioning her leadership while two of them — Len Webber and Donna Kennedy Glans — altogether defected choosing to sit as independents.

[ Related: Alberta Premier Alison Redford resigns following expenses scandal ]

On Thursday, the PCs chose deputy premier Dave Hancock as their interim leader and premier.

The next question inevitably becomes: who will run to permanently replace Redford?

Earlier this week, prior to Redford's resignation, political scientist Duane Bratt suggested that current cabinet ministers, Thomas Lukaszuk and Doug Horner, are two likely front-runners. Out of the two, he believes Horner would have the edge.

"Horner is from St. Albert (PCs have a tradition of alternating Calgary-Edmonton), [current] finance minister, former Leadership candidate [and has] family history in [the] party," Bratt, a professor at Mount Royal University, told Yahoo Canada News.

Other names being bandied about include former Edmonton mayor Stephen Mandel, past federal cabinet minister Jim Prentice and former provincial treasurer Jim Dinning.

[ Related: Alberta Premier Alison Redford's resignation statement ]

And then there's Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

When asked on Wednesday if he was interested in replacing Redford, he didn't really answer the question.

"Seriously?" he said, according to the Calgary Herald. "There will be lots and lots and lots of opportunities to talk about lots and lots and lots of different people. I can tell you regardless of whatever role I’m in personally, I will take a very serious part in this next election, always fighting for the interests of Calgarians and Albertans."

The Calgary Sun described Nenshi's non-answer as not ruling out a run for the vacant Alberta's premier's seat.

And then he posted this video -- of himself -- on his YouTube page.

[ Related: Alberta Tories begin picking up pieces after resignation of Premier Redford ]

At this point, discussion of a Nenshi run for the leadership of the PCs, or for any other political party for that matter, is mere speculation.

Nevertheless, there has long been chatter about him running for higher levels of office whether it be provincial or federal.

According to pollster Mario Canseco, if Nenshi chose to run for the leadership of a provincial party, he would instantly buoy that party's fortunes.

"Nenshi's numbers are phenomenal. When we covered the Calgary election, we were struck at how well he connected with the youngest voters, both on popularity and satisfaction with services. This is something that would bode well for Alberta politics, if he decided to make the move to the provincial scene," Canseco, who now works with Insights West, told Yahoo.

"There is also the way the entire province embraced his performance during the floods, so Nenshi has something that all other mayors who could move to other levels of politics lack: a crisis that was handled well, and garnered him the respect of the entire province."

On the other hand, an Edmonton-based political scientist doesn't see Nenshi as a fit for the PC's.

"I have difficulty envisioning him as a leader of the current PC caucus," MacEwan University's Dr. Chaldeans Mensah told Yahoo in an email exchange.

"Nenshi, while strong in Calgary in terms of popular support, might have problems gaining support in rural Alberta. He is very articulate and well-situated for his current position, but it might be difficult for him to transfer his leadership skills from city hall to a restless PC party. I don't see a Nenshi candidacy as posing a serious threat to the Wildrose in rural ridings. In short, Nenshi's popularity in Calgary, perhaps even in parts of Edmonton, is not necessarily transferable to the provincial scene."

On Thursday morning, Yahoo Canada News did ask Nenshi's office whether or not he was interested in running for the leadership of the the provincial PCs. Again, they didn't really answer the question.

"The only official answer I have is the quote from the mayor," Nenshi communications adviser Daorcey Le Bray said referring to the quote above.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)

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