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WINNIPEG — Author, Indigenous activist and rookie politician Wab Kinew says he has the most delegates going into the final weeks of the race to lead Manitoba’s Opposition New Democrats.

The party has released figures that show up to 1,425 delegates will be able to vote at the party’s convention Sept. 16 — most were chosen recently by NDP members in the province’s 57 constituencies and its youth wing.

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The Kinew campaign says 588 of its delegates were chosen compared with 339 for former cabinet minister Steve Ashton, the only other candidate.

The party itself will not confirm the numbers of supporters for each campaign, and there has been no response so far from the Ashton camp.

There are still 285 delegates to be chosen from unions affiliated with the NDP, another 189 politicians and party officials get automatic delegate status and there are 24 independents.

Kinew has already been endorsed by leaders of several labour groups, including the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

“Today has been humbling. I want to personally thank all the members who voted and put their trust in me to be the next leader of our party,” Kinew said in a written statement Tuesday.

“Over the past months, the message I’ve heard is that we’re all ready for renewal. The results today speak loud and clear.”

The NDP is replacing former premier Greg Selinger, who announced he would step down after the party lost last year’s provincial election.