Six years of Progressive Conservative administration came to an end on Monday when Susan Holt led her Liberal team to a resounding majority government. The crimson tide of change even cost Premier Blaine Higgs his seat.
The Liberals have 31 seats, the Progressive Conservatives have 16, and the Greens, with Green Party Leader David Coon, have two.
In the history of New Brunswick, Holt is the first woman to be appointed premier.
“We’re going to watch the bottom line and deliver fiscal responsibility while we invest in the services that you need, like health care and education and an affordable place to call home,” the nominee for premier stated following her victory.
What appeared to be a competitive contest based on opinion polls quickly turned into a clear Liberal victory when the results began to come in minutes after the polls closed.
At 9:15 p.m., Higgs announced his defeat from the podium at his Quispamsis headquarters.
According to him, it was “not the night we hoped for.”
Higgs claimed to have congratulated Holt over the phone and “wish her every success.”
He advised PC candidates who won to maintain unity within the party while they rebuilt. In his words, “so many things left undone on our path to fix the province.”
It was “extremely unlikely” that Higgs would continue to lead the party, he subsequently stated.
Five cabinet ministers were among the PC’s losers: Réjean Savoie of Miramichi Bay-Neguac, Ted Flemming of Rothesay, Greg Turner of Moncton South, Jill Green of Fredericton North, and Ernie Steeves of Moncton Northwest.
Greens lose a seat
Coon admitted that Liberal Pat Finnigan had defeated Kevin Arseneau in his Fredericton election-night speech.
He promised to keep expanding the party.
“And there’s no doubt about that. To thunderous cheers from the audience, Coon declared, “We are aware that Blaine Higgs is no longer the premier of this province.”
During her address, Holt stated that her party would prioritize affordable housing, health care, and education.
Her words, “We are going to lead with balance,”
Mother of three little kids, Holt, 47, said she had a message for the news media and the general public.
She declared, “My mama bear is going to come out.” “Please treat my children with care because they are sacrificing for New Brunswick,” she pleaded.
During the campaign, Holt appeared to make an effort to disassociate herself from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, given the federal Liberal leader’s declining popularity. On Monday evening, Trudeau congratulated her.
“There is still work to be done to enhance healthcare for New Brunswickers, preserve our official languages, and construct more houses. He posted on social media, “I’m excited to work with you and your Liberal team to make it happen.”
Big gains in big cities
The three major cities in southern New Brunswick saw significant Liberal gains. The Liberal Party recorded its biggest rise in votes in Saint John, where it rose by 27%, and in Fredericton, where it increased by 23%. Votes in Moncton increased by sixteen percent.
Liberals won almost every seat in the Saint John area, from blue to red.
Dr. John Dornan, who prevailed in a wrongful dismissal case against the Higgs government, took Saint John Portland-Simonds, while David Hickey, a liberal candidate and former city councillor, won Saint John Harbour.
Kate Elman Wilcott won Saint John West-Lancaster, while John Herron, a former federal PC who is now a liberal, defeated the divisive Faytene Grasseschi in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins.
The only PC in the area to retain his seat in Saint John East was Glen Savoie, the cabinet minister for the Higgs government.
In addition, a record number of female MLAs were elected in this election—17—as opposed to just eight in 2014, 14 in 2020, and 11 in 2018.
376,026 votes were cast in the end, representing a turnout of almost 66%. In contrast, 378,169 persons cast ballots overall in 2020, or around 66% of all registered voters.
The People’s Alliance garnered two seats, the Liberals 17, the Greens three, and the PCs 27 in 2020.
Both the People’s Alliance and the NDP lost percentage points in the popular vote and were unable to secure any seats in the current election. From 9.2 percent to 0.9 percent, the People’s Alliance fell. The NDP overtook the People’s Alliance this time with 1.3%, however it was still lower than in 2020. The NDP earned 1.7% of the popular vote in 2020.
48% went to the Liberals, 35% to the PCs, and 14% to the Greens.
