Editing Sinclair Stevens (section)

==Bid for PC leadership 1976==
Stevens ran as a candidate in the [[Progressive Conservative leadership convention, 1976|1976 Progressive Conservative leadership convention]]. At the time, he had only three years parliamentary experience, but five of the other candidates had also entered parliament in 1972. He finished seventh (of eleven candidates) on the first ballot and withdrew in favour of the eventual winner [[Joe Clark]]. That was seen as a surprising move, since Stevens was considered right-wing, and Clark was a moderate on the party's left wing. Mulroney would "think about Steven's dramatic walk for years to come, never pretending to understand it."<ref>Sawatsky, p308.</ref>

Stevens had been the top official campaign spender (at $294,107), but Mulroney, who did not provide figures, is widely thought to have exceeded that amount.<ref>Sawatsky, p324.</ref>