Conservatives Unite To Face Liberal Party in Canada

The 59-day campaign focused on which leader would most likely appeal to Canadians across the country when the merged Alliance and Conservative parties take on Martin's Liberals.

Harper's win comes just over three months after a landmark merger between the former Progress Conservative and Alliance parties in a controversial move to end years of vote-splitting among Canada's two right-wing parties. A united right represents the greatest threat to the current Liberal dynasty, which dates back to 1993.

Conservatives confined to the political wilderness for over a decade now believe they have a legitimate chance of forming the next government.