SaskParty Makes Gains, But NDP Wins By-Election

SaskParty Makes Gains, But NDP Wins By-Election

Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 15:55

 

 

The Saskatchewan Party says there are no safe seats for the NDP any more following yesterday’s by-election in Cumberland.

 

The NDP’s Doyle Vermette came out on top — but with a much slimmer margin of victory than the New Democrats are accustomed to.

 

Vermette’s margin of victory was 164 votes.

 

He captured 49.7 per cent of the vote, while the SaskParty’s Dale McAuley secured 44.5 per cent.

 

In November’s general election, the percentage of votes in the riding that went to the Saskatchewan Party was 23 per cent.

 

Vermette says the Saskatchewan Party’s message to elect someone within the governing party definitely swayed some voters — and he’s grateful for the work of his campaign team.

 

McAuley says, in spite of the stronger showing for his party, he’s disappointed to lose such a close race.

 

He also isn’t ruling out future involvement in provincial politics.

 

NDP leader Lorne Calvert says this by-election represented the “best chance” for the SaskParty to win this seat, and he believes that opportunity will shrink the longer the new government is in power.

 

Calvert says they had a “powerful argument” about the advantage of elected someone on the government side of the legislature.

 

In fact, Calvert says several constituents told him during the campaign about their desire to “experiment” with the SaskParty for that very reason.

 

He also expected to hear more backlash about former NDP MLA Joan Beatty’s decision to resign and force the by-election, but heard very little.

 

The riding, which has been without an MLA since early January, has been held by a New Democrat for several decades.

 

Voter turnout yesterday was at 37.5 per cent — down from a 50 per cent voter participation rate in November.