Reform and the PCs finished with similar popular vote totals in the 1993 and subsequent elections but, under the first past the post electoral system the Reformers won many more seats due to their strong regional support in the West versus the thin national support for the PCs across Canada.
Following the election and despite Alliance leadership troubles, the PCs were unable to make significant gains in opinion polls and former Prime Minister Joe Clark resigned as leader.
Mackay began a process of talks which led to the merger of the PCs with the Alliance and the creation of a new Conservative Party of Canada.
Martin had come into office on December 12, 2003, following a long battle with his predecessor, Jean Chrétien for control of the Liberal Party.
Martin had been a very successful and popular finance minister under much of Chrétien's term and was expected to dominate politics and win a commanding majority, perhaps of record size, once he was at the helm.
The merger of the conservative movement was not viewed as a large impediment to this goal when it occurred almost simultaneously with Martin's rise to power.
However, the sponsorship scandal, which saw some Liberal supporters fraudulantely acquire government funds, and particularly Martin's response to it caused him to slip in the polls.
This campaign was actually given a boost by Harper, who began to muse about winning a majority government, when polls showed most Canadians were uncomfortable with such a prospect, and by some Conservative candidates who made statements on controversial social issues.
Harper briefly mused about giving up the leadership following the election defeat but carried forward with considerable optimism despite trailing the Liberals significantly in the polls.
The Gomery Commission, which was appointed by Martin to investigate the sponsorship scandal, gave new fuel to the Conservatives.
In the spring of 2005, it projected the Conservatives back into the lead in the polls and Martin held a rare live address on television to ask Canadians to give him 10 more months to govern, in which time the Gomery Commission would finish its work and release a report on its investigation, and then he would call an election.
During the summer, the Conservatives slipped back in the polls again and there were renewed questions of Harper's leadership and the potential success of the new party.
In the 2006 election held on January 23, the Conservatives won a bare plurality of seats, besting the Liberals 124 to 103.