The re-election hopes of the NDP's Len Taylor literally hit the Wall Monday.
The Battlefords became part of Premier Brad Wall's massive Saskatchewan Party landslide win in the provincial election. SaskParty candidate Herb Cox ended up the winner in the riding. In doing so he became a giant-killer, toppling both the two-term former New Democrat cabinet minister as well as Ryan Bater, the leader of the provincial Liberals.
The final results gave Cox 3,489 votes, compared to 2,436 for Taylor, 805 for Bater and 91 for Owen Swiderski of the Green Party.
Cox now becomes one of 49 Saskatchewan Party MLAs in the next legislature, according to the latest numbers. The NDP were reduced to nine members and their losses included some of their most senior MLAs, including the leader himself, Dwain Lingenfelter, who lost in Regina Douglas Park to the Saskatchewan Party's Russ Marchuk. Lingenfelter announced he was resigning as NDP leader soon after his concession speech.
It was a jubilant scene at Cox's headquarters on 100th Street in North Battleford, where campaign workers admitted they were nervous about whether Cox would pull off a victory in his second consecutive bid for the seat.
Cox said he felt confident he would win the seat once about half of the popular vote was in. Supporters called in from as far away as Arizona to congratulate him on his victory.
"It is a great night for Saskatchewan and a great night for the Battlefords as far as I'm concerned," said Cox.
It was a different story at NDP headquarters at the Tropical Inn, where a small group of NDP supporters watched morosely as the NDP losses mounted across the province.
Taylor spoke to the gathering of supporters where he thanked them for supporting his campaign. At the close of his remarks the crowd rose to give him a standing ovation.
The Battlefords MLA then spoke to reporters before heading over to personally congratulate Cox at his headquarters.
Also personally congratulating Cox was Liberal leader Ryan Bater, who came in with even less votes than in his last run in 2007,
The next step for Cox is to get started in his new job as an MLA. A caucus meeting has been called for Wednesday where he expects to find out what his new assignments will be in the new legislature.
All in all, it was a sweeping night for the Saskatchewan Party throughout the Northwest.
Among the first-time winners was Larry Doke, who succeeds Michael Chisholm as the Saskatchewan Party MLA from Cut Knife-Turtleford after a comfortable victory over Bernadette Gopher of the NDP.
Scott Moe also goes to the legislature as the winner in Rosthern-Shellbrook, easily winning over Clay DeBray of the NDP. As well it was a winning night for several area incumbents including Bill Boyd in Kindersley, Tim McMillan in Lloydminster, Randy Weekes in Biggar and Jeremy Harrison in Meadow Lake. Harrison, who won by a narrow margin last time, ended up winning comfortably over Helen Ben of the NDP.
