If I ever doubted that reporters crave a good story more than almost anything else, my own reaction to the Alberta election last night would have reminded me of its veracity. Before the polls in the province were even closed, I had begun thinking about how I’d pitch a short piece about it to the bosses: Tea Party-like upstart gains power in one of Canada’s wealthiest provinces just a few years after its founding.

But that’s not what happened yesterday in Alberta, often called the Texas of the North. I wasn’t the only surprised observer, though: Every single public poll, right up until hours before the vote, predicted that the Wildrose Party would form a new, majority government. Instead, the ruling Progressive Conservatives ended up with around 44 percent of the popular vote, and 61 of 87 seats. Wildrose received 34 percent, and 17 seats.