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Brian Jean has picked up three more MLA endorsements in the United Conservative Party leadership race.

Southern Alberta MLAs Pat Stier, David Schneider and Wayne Anderson, all first elected under the Wildrose banner, are backing their former leader in the UCP contest.

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“I’m inspired by the outpouring of support our campaign has received so far,” Jean said in a news release on Tuesday.

The UCP — formed last month as Wildrose and Progressive Conservative members decided to join together in a new party — will select its new leader in October.

Jean already had the endorsement of Wildrose-turned-UCP MLAs Dave Hanson, Angela Pitt, Don MacIntyre, Leela Aheer, Ron Orr, Glenn van Dijken, Todd Loewen and Tany Yao.

Former PC leader Jason Kenney is backed by four UCP MLAs first elected as Wildrosers: Rick Strankman, Mark Smith, Drew Barnes and Grant Hunter.

Calgary lawyer Doug Schweitzer and former Wildrose president Jeff Callaway are also seeking the UCP leadership.

While the formation of the UCP won overwhelming 95 per cent support among members of both parties in their July votes, some dissident former Wildrose members have broken away to form a new party.

David Inscho, a vice-president with the planned Alberta Advantage Party, said Tuesday the party will have its first annual general meeting on Oct. 21. The event will see the party elect its officers and adopt policies,

The Alberta Advantage Party name has been reserved with Elections Alberta but the party is not likely to be formally registered until the fall, said Inscho.

jwood@postmedia.com