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What that meant in a practical sense was that, to succeed, politicians had to sell things that seemed, at least on some level, authentic to who they were. They couldn’t pull the message too far from the messenger and still reach an audience. The two had to seem connected for people to buy in.

Politics doesn’t seem to work that way anymore.

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And where good looks are concerned — yes, it matters, deal with it — Rona Ambrose can rock a power suit with the best of them. She’s exactly the kind of Sela Ward-type (think Sarah Palin with a brain) that Hollywood directors clamour for on those rare occasions when they cast women in positions of power.

The way the Conservative interim leader presents, and then backs up style with substance, is an enormous advantage to the CPC.

If this reads like I have a girl-crush on Rona Ambrose, that’s good news for the CPC in a general election because I’m probably not the only one. She’s well-liked in Ottawa, too, having recently been voted by her peers as 2016’s hardest-working MP.

Before “insider” became synonymous with “swamp-dweller” and “outsider” synonymous with “saviour” it was generally accepted that the work of government required leaders with experience. Healthy democracies need fiscal conservatives who are also rational actors who respect the norms and traditions of democratic institutions.

Rona Ambrose’s charm, credibility and experience in government could bring stability to the CPC leadership and be a force for good in the conservative movement. An upset by an attention-seeking celebrity firebrand who has nothing to lose (even if Uncle Kevin flames out spectacularly, he’ll just go back to television with a larger Twitter following) would not be good for Canada.

It’ll be the biggest news story in the country on May 28: the new occupant of Stornoway will be known to the nation. The mood and tone of the CPC will be re-set, to what exactly we don’t know.

If it is Kevin O’Leary, it will usher in a similarly depressing era of Trump-style, made-in-Canada “carnage.” For its part the CPC won’t be able to say “We didn’t see it coming” nor will it be able to say “We did everything we could do to prevent it.”

No matter who the winner is, though, a lot of people will miss the intelligent, hard-working, articulate woman who might have become a great prime minister.