Another cabinet minister is out of the game.

Marian Horne lost the Yukon Party nomination race in Pelly-Nisutlin on Friday to Stacey Hassard, a businessman and former Teslin village councillor.

Horne, who served one term in cabinet as Minister of Justice, told the media last week she felt betrayed by her riding constituency with Hassard's announcement to seek the Yukon Party nomination. The vote numbers weren't released.

She said she hoped her record would speak for itself when party members voted Friday.

Horne did not respond to messages from the Star today.

Hassard said in an interview he's "very happy” with his victory and was not surprised by the results.

As for pushing Horne out of the legislature, Hassard was unapologetic.

"Obviously, people felt it was time for change,” he said.

Hassard said he was not asked by the riding association to put his name forward.

The new candidate sold his store, Nisutlin Trading Post, last March. He said friends and family had been encouraging him to get into politics ever since.

"It was a long, thought-out process,” said Hassard.

Horne accused Hassard of coming in too late in the game and being given extra time to campaign.

She also said he wasn't candid with the community about his intentions prior to his announcement.

"When he was asked several months ago by another political party whether or not he would run in the election, he said, ‘How many was can I say no?” Horne told the Star last Thursday.

But when asked if he thinks he entered the race fairly, Hassard said "absolutely.”

Hassard is the brother of former Yukon Party MLA Dean Hassard, who represented Pelly-Nisutlin from 2002 to 2006.

He said he chose to run for the Yukon Party because he believes he has a lot to offer from past experience.

Hassard served two terms on school council and one term as a councillor for the village of Teslin.

He is now the deputy mayor of the village and a director of the Association of Yukon Communities.

As for what his plans are now, Hassard's answer was simple: "I'll move ahead from here and see how it goes.”

Horne was the second sitting minister to lose his or her spot in the legislature last week.

Jim Kenyon lost the Yukon Party nomination in his riding of Porter Creek North to city councillor and former cabinet minister, Doug Graham.

Kenyon, who has represented the riding since 2002, was fired from the cabinet in early May for publicly criticizing then-premier Dennis Fentie's leadership style, but was invited back shortly after Darrell Pasloski became premier on June 11.

NDP Leader Liz Hanson told the Star this morning she is unable to comment on the inner workings of the Yukon Party, but said sitting minister being voted out of legislature is "how democracy works”.

(Nomination losers can still run as independents or seek nominations in other ridings.)

"I think it will be challenging for the Yukon Party to now talk about their plans for the future, because their record in the past certainly doesn't show anything,” Hanson said, explaining that the party has been working on a reactionary, instead of visionary, basis.

But Hanson didn't express any pity for the two cabinet ministers who won't have the chance to continue work in their portfolios.

"We've effectively seen all ministers disappear since the legislature last sat in March,” she said. "It's seems like they are all clearing the decks and the business of the day is not getting done.”

Health and Social Services Minister Glenn Hart and Economic Development Minister Steve Nordick and Deputy Premier Elaine Taylor are the only ministers from the current regime running this fall. Some ministers who did not lose nomination battles have opted to retire, as has Speaker Ted Staffen.

Hanson did, though, thank all the public servants who are working on the ministers' behalf.

Pasloski has been acclaimed as the Yukon Party candidate for Mountainview.

Klondike is now the only riding which still has to nominate a Yukon Party candidate.

Nordick hopes to secure the spot at a nomination meeting in Dawson City on Aug. 17.