The Manitoba legislative assembly will be slightly more orange-tinged after the results of a byelection in west Winnipeg.
The affluent Tuxedo riding — a Tory stronghold for its entire four decades of existence — flipped to the NDP for the first time ever in Tuesday’s byelection
According to unofficial results from Elections Manitoba — which will be verified by the returning officer Friday — NDP candidate Carla Compton edged out Progressive Conservative Lawrence Pinsky by just over 600 votes.
The Tuxedo seat was vacant after former premier and PC leader Heather Stefanson made the decision to leave politics in April.
Stefanson had held the seat since 2000, first being elected herself after the resignation of another former PC premier, Gary Filmon. Filmon had represented Tuxedo since 1981.
University of Winnipeg political science Prof. Malcolm Bird said he was a bit surprised by the NDP win.
“This is a reasonably significant victory for the NDP in terms of continuation of their honeymoon period after the election,” Bird told 680 CJOB’s The Start.
“I also think it’s an illustration of the weakness of the Conservative Party right now, and that’s because they don’t have a leader — and without a leader, it’s difficult to provide an alternative vision for the province.
“The party is not offering a viable alternative to the ruling government and is not providing a strong opposition.”
Carla Compton made history tonight by becoming the first ever NDP MLA elected in Tuxedo!
Welcome to the team! Tuxedo now has a great representative in the legislature pic.twitter.com/l55kA7tvxh
— Wab Kinew (@WabKinew) June 19, 2024
Bird said the New Democrats should take advantage of the win by focusing on addressing provincewide issues.
“That’s the real matter here. We have a real serious crime and addiction problem, our health-care system is in need of attention. And of course, we also are spending a lot more money than we bring in every year.
“This might be part of the reason why this government is quite popular … and this, of course, is not sustainable.”
In a statement Tuesday night, Premier Wab Kinew called Compton’s upset win “historic,” and said it was the first time since 1971 that a governing party has flipped a seat in a byelection.
“Today’s win proves that the PCs can no longer take any constituency for granted,” Kinew said.
“Families across the province are united behind our positive vision for one Manitoba. For Tuxedo, Carla will be a strong voice in our government as we rebuild health care and make life more affordable.”
Compton, who worked as a nurse for 18 years before entering politics, will speak to media alongside the premier on Wednesday afternoon.
