The Newfoundland and Labrador political map has been painted Tory blue in one of the most stunning political upsets in a long time.
Premier-elect Tony Wakeham leads a majority PC government with 21 seats, the Liberals hold 15, there are two NDP members and two Independents.
The Tories won a lot of close races to pull off the upset, meaning there could be some recounts in the offing. The popular vote was evenly split between the two frontrunners.
The PCs flipped Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde, central Labrador and Labrador West, Humber Gros Morne, Lewisporte-Twillingate, St. Barbe-L’Anse aux Meadows, and St. George’s-Humber.
The NDP gained St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi from the Liberals.
A smiling Tony Wakeham greets supporters in Stephenville (VOCM News)
Wakeham, a former basketball coach made a sports analogy as he thanked his family, team and candidates to shouts of “Tony! Tony!” at the Days Inn in Stephenville.
“Well, it was only a couple of months ago a whole lot of people were looking at the half-time score and thinking this election was over. Pollsters and pundits were saying it was going to be another Liberal majority…but we knew! All of us!”
Wakeham also thanked the candidates of all political stripes who offered themselves for election.
