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NDP Leader Brian Mason hung on to his seat last night, despite a Tory surge across the city. Mason defeated second-place finisher Tory Andrew Beniuk in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood, even though in the early going Beniuk seemed poised to be part of the Stelmach-led Tory revival in Edmonton. But as results rolled in, it soon became clear that Mason was still his constituents' choice. Prior to the polls closing, Beniuk predicted the winner would be the candidate who was best able to get his supporters to the voting booth. "That's what we've been working very hard at today," he said. Beniuk said even though the riding is considered a New Democrat stronghold, he got a warm reception from voters. "Everybody was vulnerable," he said. The third-place finisher, Liberal Brad Smith, was shocked by the night's result. Prior to the polls closing, Smith called his party "a government in waiting." Later in the evening, he said, "the voters wanted change, so trusting the Conservatives to do that is a little strange." In 2004 Mason won easily with about 6,000 votes, nearly triple his closest rival. "It was completely different this year," said a stunned Smith, who ran in Edmonton-Calder for the Grits in 2004. "People were very welcoming on the doorstep." Smith said in the last provincial election that many voters were angry with the federal Liberal government and turned their wrath on him. This year in a new riding, however, they've been very open to hearing what the provincial Liberals stand for. |
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