Tories break through in west, urban district

While the Progressive Conservatives were a distant second in Monday's P.E.I. election, the party built on its traditional strength in the east with a win on the western tip of the province as well as the urban district of Stratford.

The Tory campaign carried a central message of Liberal neglect of rural areas, but that focus did not prevent the party from picking up Stratford-Kinlock from Liberal incumbent Cynthia Dunsford. Stratford-Kinlock is in the southern part of Stratford, the third-largest community in the province and the fastest growing. It is one of the few mostly urban districts outside of Summerside and Charlottetown.

In the far western district of Tignish-Palmer Road, PC candidate Hal Perry knocked off Fisheries Minister Neil LeClair. It is the only district the Tories won west of Charlottetown.

In the east, the Tories won three of six districts, as well as the highest percentage of the popular vote at 48.4 per cent.