Taylor contested the convention, as did Edmonton Meadowlark MLA Grant Mitchell, but Decore won a decisive first ballot victory. In the following year's snap election, he led the party to eight seats, twice as many as it had held at dissolution of the legislature, while also getting the second-highest popular vote, though the NDP retained official opposition status with 16 seats. Decore, who was elected in Edmonton-Glengarry, defeating New Democrat John Younie, declared "there is a new party on the horizon", as one of his candidates Percy Wickman had unseated Premier Don Getty.