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![\"MIKAELA](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/4610004_web1_260821-Mayoral-campaign-00166.jpg\")
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIKAELA MACKENZIE \/ FREE PRESS FILES
\nIn a social media post, Mike Vogiatzakis accused Kevin Klein of meddling in his mayoral campaign.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood speaker? Yes. Good looking guy? Sure. Someone I trust now? Absolutely not,\u201d he wrote in a lengthy post.<\/p>\n
Vogiatzakis is alleging multiple members of Klein\u2019s circle offered him \u201ca position at city hall\u201d on Sept. 2 in exchange for stepping down.<\/p>\n
Todd Dube, his campaign director, echoed those comments on a phone call.<\/p>\n
Three different people \u2014 including Tim Diack, who helped out with Klein\u2019s 2022 mayoral race \u2014 called either Vogiatzakis or one of their colleagues the night before Klein officially entered the race, Dube said.<\/p>\n
Klein was not made available for an interview, but the former Progressive Conservative MLA and environment minister\u2019s latest campaign team issued a statement dismissing his opponent\u2019s \u201csmear campaign.\u201d<\/p>\n
Klein acknowledged in a statement that he had, in fact, changed his mind to run for mayor at the eleventh-hour in response to outcry among his supporters.<\/p>\n
But he rejected his competitor\u2019s suggestion that an authorized team member of his tried to make a backroom agreement.<\/p>\n
Klein said his team told Dube it would be continuing on the campaign trail at the Sept. 14 transit debate after which the campaign manager \u201cmade an offer\u201d \u2014 an attempt to prevent vote-splitting \u2014 that they refused.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a reciprocal gesture, back, basically,\u201d Dube said.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Klein indicated that Diack is not an official member of the team. Diack did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t (Dube declined to share the names of two other affiliates he alleged reached out.)<\/p>\n Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham learned about the finger-pointing after an afternoon rally packed with about 100 supporters and blue and orange decorations.<\/p>\n Gillingham convened volunteers at the Caboto Centre to urge them to take advantage of advanced voting, which begins on Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cBring someone with you \u2014 as long as they\u2019re voting for me,\u201d he added, followed by a chuckle that was echoed by supporters in the room.<\/p>\n Former Winnipeg Police Chief Devon Clunis, Virgin Radio Winnipeg personality Chrissy Troy and Filipino-Canadian entrepreneur Jackie Wild were among the high-profile guests in attendance.<\/p>\n Gillingham called the allegations levelled against Klein \u201cserious.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn my estimation, they could violate rules around elections,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n More than half of the eligible voters surveyed in late-summer opinion poll indicated they were undecided about their choice for mayor.<\/p>\n Abacus Data surveyed 600 random adults from Winnipeg about their voting intentions between Aug. 28 and Sept. 14.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Thirteen per cent of respondents indicated they had no plans to vote.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Among the minority of decided voters, 55 per cent threw their support behind the incumbent. Klein earned 23 per cent of that share. Vogiatzakis was in third place with 11 per cent of the net support among decided voters.<\/p>\n Crestview resident Jennette McCalla said she plans to cast an advanced ballot to avoid a lengthy wait on Oct. 28.<\/p>\n McCalla said she stopped by the Caboto Centre Sunday because \u201cthere\u2019s no question\u201d her former pastor, who she called \u201cvery trustworthy,\u201d is her choice for mayor.<\/p>\n Klein\u2019s office said he spent the weekend meetings with residents, reaching out to supporters and \u201creminding people that advance polls open (Monday).\u201d<\/p>\n maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Maggie Macintosh Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie<\/a>.<\/p>\n Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMIKE DEAL \/ FREE PRESS
\nKevin Klein rejected Vogiatzakis\u2019 suggestion that one of his authorized team members tried to make a backroom agreement.<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJOHN WOODS \/ FREE PRESS
\nScott Gillingham held an election rally at the Caboto Centre in Winnipeg on Sunday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Education reporter
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