Danielle Smith nomination on same day Wildrose picks new leader

It looks like political worlds will be colliding at the end of this month in Alberta.

The Progressive Conservatives announced that backbencher Danielle Smith will learn on March 28 whether she will be their candidate for her riding in Highwood.

On the same day, the Wildrose party will announce a new leader to replace Smith.

Smith led eight other Wildrose members across the floor to Premier Jim Prentice and the PCs late last year.

She has been criticized for decimating Alberta's Official Opposition.

Smith is running against Okotoks town councillor Carrie Fischer for the nomination.

Political future of other floor-crosssers

The PCs announced Sunday that former Wildrose MLA Kerry Towle, who crossed the floor in November along with Ian Donovan, won the nomination to represent the Tories in the riding on Innisfail-Sylvan Lake.

On Saturday, fellow floor-crosser Jason Hale announced he would not be running in the next election. Two others who defected to the PCs, Rob Anderson and Bruce Rowe, have also announced they were leaving politics.