Provincial Politics
He first ran for the Ontario legislature in the 1977 provincial election, but lost to Liberal Paul Blundy by 257 votes in Sarnia. He ran again in the 1981 election and defeated Blundy by 3,029 votes, as the Progressive Conservatives won a majority government under Bill Davis. After serving as a parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Labour, Brandt was promoted to cabinet on July 6, 1983 as Minister of the Environment.
Brandt was originally neutral in the Progressive Conservative Party's 1985 leadership convention, but surprised delegates by endorsing Frank Miller from the convention podium. When Miller became Premier of Ontario on February 8, 1985, he appointed Brandt as his Minister of Industry and Trade. Following this promotion, Brandt was easily returned in the 1985 provincial election. The Progressive Conservatives were reduced to a minority government, however, and soon lost a vote of confidence in the legislature. In opposition, Brandt served as his party's critic for Environment and Industry.
The 1987 provincial election proved disastrous for the Progressive Conservative Party, which was reduced to only sixteen seats out of 130 in the legislature. Party leader Larry Grossman was defeated in his own riding. Brandt, who defeated Liberal Joan Link-Mellon by 2,601 votes, was selected as interim leader on November 3, 1987, and held the position until Mike Harris was chosen as full-time leader on May 12, 1990. Brandt did not run in the 1990 election.
Read more about this topic: Andrew S. Brandt
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