Almost four months after suffering their worst defeat in a general election, the Conservative Party is set to announce a new leader. Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will be declared the winner of the leadership election on Saturday morning.

The journey has been tumultuous. Many prominent party figures did not even enter the race. Following the election, the Conservatives were left with just 121 MPs, having lost over 240 seats, including those held by twelve cabinet ministers. Similar to Michael Portillo’s experience in 1997, Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, and Gillian Keegan lost their chances of leading the party almost immediately when voters rejected them.

Among those who remained in Parliament, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, viewed as a key figure on the right, chose not to run and instead endorsed Jenrick, her former junior colleague at the Home Office. Mel Stride narrowly retained his Central Devon seat by just 61 votes on July 4. Although he had a low profile compared to other candidates, Stride built a reputation for being dependable through numerous media appearances during the election campaign. He marketed himself as a unity candidate capable of restoring trust within the party.

In the initial vote among Tory MPs, Stride outperformed Dame Priti Patel but soon lost momentum and was eliminated before the tour moved from Westminster to Birmingham. Tom Tugendhat, a former soldier who frequently referenced his military background, dominated merchandise sales at the Birmingham conference with an array of promotional items that included hats, shirts, and even fake tan products.

Badenoch faced scrutiny after suggesting in an interview that maternity pay had “gone too far.” She later clarified her stance to reporters, stating she did not believe maternity pay needed changes and accused others of misrepresenting her words regarding business regulations. At a fringe meeting during the conference, she made a joking remark about some civil servants deserving prison time, embracing her reputation for being outspoken.

Throughout the leadership contest, candidate attacks were limited due to warnings from Bob Blackman of the 1922 Committee against public criticisms. However, tensions flared when Jenrick alleged British special forces were “killing rather than capturing terrorists” due to human rights laws. Tugendhat expressed anger over this serious claim and highlighted its lack of understanding regarding military operations.

James Cleverly’s unexpected departure from the race surprised many. He had delivered strong performances during speeches at the conference and initially garnered support but was eliminated in a shocking twist during subsequent voting rounds. The secret nature of these ballots leaves many questions unanswered about Tory MPs' decisions. Unlike previous leadership contests, this election lacked televised debates; Badenoch and Jenrick participated in separate segments on GB News instead.