SDSG – Conservative Eric Duncan has won the federal election race in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.
At 11 p.m., with nearly half of the polls reporting, Duncan had 57 per cent of the vote, followed by Liberal Heather Megill with 24 per cent, NDP Kelsey Schmitz with 13 per cent, Green Raheem Aman with 4 per cent and PPC Sabile Trimm with 2 per cent.
“This campaign started back on Jan. 31 with a simple post on social media announcing this new journey. What started with a click of a mouse that day bloomed and grew into a movement here in Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry,” Duncan told hundreds of supporters in the ballroom at Ramada Cornwall.
Duncan said he was very proud of tone of campaign and the civility showed proves “you can do politics differently.”
The MP-elect says his first priority is to get a constituency office open and bring over outgoing MP Guy Lauzon’s staff and “keep offering that same customer service” to the riding.
As for the projected Liberal minority government on Parliament Hill, Duncan believes it will be workable. “I’m hoping we can have a minority government that goes to coalition. I think we can get more effective voices across all the parties on a case by case basis. I think there’s some bipartisan things that can be done too,” he said.
Nationally, Duncan is happy with the Conservative growth, saying it usually takes two elections to defeat a government of the day.
Asked by Cornwall Newswatch if he would have done anything differently during the 40 day campaign, Duncan says no. “I can’t be anything but proud. Our campaign team, our message and how everything came together…I can’t change anything when you have a positive result like this.”