Hinman quits as Wildrose Alliance leader

Paul Hinman is stepping down as leader of Alberta's Wildrose Alliance after losing the party's only seat in the legislature in last year's election.

Hinman says it's time to step aside and allow someone with more charisma to take the reins of the party but he won't say if the Wildrose-Alliance has found such a person.

Hinman ran for the Alberta Alliance Party in 2004, winning the party's only seat in the legislature. In November 2005, he won the party's leadership contest on the third ballot, beating out three other contenders.

The Alliance merged with the Wildrose Party last year and Hinman was named interim leader, but he lost his Cardston-Taber-Warner seat by 39 votes in the March 2008 election.

Hinman said he'll step down when the party holds its annual general meeting in early June, but it will be up to party officials to decide how and when to pick a new leader.