Conservative Scott Aitchison wins in Parry Sound-Muskoka
Aitchison receives more than 50 per cent of vote with nearly half of polls reported
Conservative incumbent Scott Aitchison has won the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding.
This is his third straight win in the riding. The former mayor of Huntsville also ran against Pierre Poilievre for the Conservative leadership in 2022.
"I'm honoured that the people of Parry Sound-Muskoka have put their faith in me once again, regardless of what's happening at the national level, to be their voice and occupy their chair in the House of Commons," Aitchison told CBC News from his victory party Monday night.
He and the rest of the Conservative party had been expecting a different result from this vote, riding a 25 per cent lead in the polls just a few months ago, to now find themselves staying on the opposition benches.
"You know, there's no question that Donald Trump has inflicted a whole new level of complexity to our campaign nationally and that's been fairly frustrating for us," Aitchison said.
The Parry Sound-Muskoka riding is a real Conservative stronghold, with the blue team holding it for the past 20 years and most of the last century.
Liberal candidate Geordie Sabbagh, a local filmmaker, finished in second place, with about 40 per cent of the vote, with about half of polls reporting.
The NDP's Heather Hay was a distant third.