Tina Beaudry-Mellor believes she’s a fresh face who can keep the Saskatchewan Party ruling in the province.

The Regina University MLA, who was elected to the Saskatchewan legislature in April 2016, is one of five hopefuls aiming to become the next Saskatchewan Party leader and Saskatchewan premier.

“I know that we’re at a point in our political party that we need to renew, and we need to refresh if we’re going to capture that middle ground space that has been our formula for success over the last number of years,” she said.

A University of Regina political science professor, Beaudry-Mellor was the first candidate to announce she wanted to step into the premier’s seat.

“Political analysis is something that’s sort of in my wheelhouse, and that’s why I’m actually in this race,” she said.

The mother of teenaged twins, who owns a small management consulting company, has served as minister responsible for the status of women and social services minister. She said she believes her experience makes her the best fit to tackle the issues facing the Saskatchewan Party.

“They’re all social issues, and those are the kinds of things that I have a nuanced perspective of, given both my previous portfolio in social services, but also just a long history of working with community-based organizations.”

She said she would reinstate PST exemption on insurance, offer a tax incentive for startups and create a ministry of accessibility if elected premier.