While the New Democrats and Liberals duked it out over social media posts and claims of election fraud, Progressive Conservative Trevor Jones sailed to an easy victory in Chatham-Kent-Leamington while staying out of the fray.
The current Leamington councilor and former police officer ran a quiet campaign, which included not showing up to area candidate debates.
Jones jumped out to an early lead in the June 2 election and never looked back, securing 17,389 votes – a total of 47.6 per cent of ballots cast with all 92 polls reporting just after 11 pm
“We had a very positive, a very disciplined campaign,” Jones said. “Our team didn’t worry about anything else except where we were working that day – what part of the riding we were in, who we were talking to.”
Despite his large margin of victory, Jones admitted to having some doubts about winning.
“I think we always have doubts. We’re always human,” he said. “We have little insecurities and concerns, but realistically we stayed positive. We stayed focus and were resilient and, with the love we have in this room for our family, our friends, our colleagues.
“It’s been outpouring and I feel that Chatham-Kent has adopted me as their son and their messenger to send to the province, to Queen’s Park.”
Jones also addressed missing the all-candidates forums, saying “I actually enjoy debates, but again we adopted a very disciplined approach.
“No one told me not to go to a debate or to go to a debate. We sat down with our team and said, ‘Where is our best opportunity for success?’” he added.
The riding captured provincial attention when the NDP uncovered social media posts containing anti-gay slurs the then-Liberal candidate wrote as a teen. The controversy continued as the NDP alleged the Liberals recycled signatures from its original candidate’s nomination papers for last-minute candidate Audrey Festeryga, who later withdrew from the race a week before the election.
But no Liberal candidate running didn’t translate into huge support for local NDP candidate Brock McGregor, who finished a distant second with 11,024 votes, which equated to 30.2 per cent of the votes cast.
McGregor expressed disappointment but credited volunteers for their efforts.
“We did our best to get out and listen to people,” McGregor said. “Those messages around affordability, accountability, integrity were well received by a lot of voters.
“We know this is an extremely difficult riding. We’re proud of the team we put together.”
Former Tory MPP Rick Nicholls, who was ousted by the PC Party last August for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, finished a distant third with 5,416 votes, after having won the riding three times since he was first elected in 2011.
“All good things sometimes have to come to an end,” Nicholls said.
Nicholls cited lobbying for the new Chatham-Kent Children’s Treatment Center and working to get median barriers installed along a dangerous stretch of Highway 401 as some of his accomplishments.
He also said he believes the future is bright for the Ontario Party. “We need to stick together … We are a family,” Nicholls said.
Nicholls was ousted by the PC Party last August for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine but ran for re-election under the Ontario Party banner. Nicholls finished a distant third after having won the riding three times since first elected as a Progressive Conservative in 2011.
-with files from Trevor Terfloth and Tom Morrison
RESULTS
Trevor Jones (CP): 17,389 (47.6%)
Brock McGregor (NDP): 11,024 (30)
Rick Nicholls (ONP): 5,416 (14.8)
Rhonda Jubenville (NBO): 1,443 (4)
Jennifer Surerus (GPO): 1,231 (3.4)