Despite losses in cities, Tories maintain presence in western N.B.

Despite a strong Liberal performance in most regions of the province, the Progressive Conservative party maintained its presence in central-west ridings.

That was largely an exception for the Tories in Monday's vote results. 

The Liberals were able to flip key seats in all three cities from blue to red — unseating Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs in Quispamsis, along with several Higgs-era cabinet ministers.

But PC incumbents handily won all three western ridings, bringing in more than 50 per cent of the vote.

Richard Ames, Margaret Johnson and Bill Hogan, who all held cabinet positions under Higgs, will all return to the legislature. 

Central New Brunswick proved to be more of a mixed bag.

Both Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Party Leader David Coon won their seats in Fredericton. Neither seat was certain for the leaders, with both ridings having been redrawn since the last election in 2020.

Fredericton North's race was of note, with Liberal candidate Luke Randall winning against incumbent PC Jill Green, who held a cabinet position in the PC government.

In ridings surrounding Fredericton, the PCs saw more success. 

There was one notable exception to that in Hanwell-New Maryland, where Liberal Cindy Miles came out ahead of PC candidate, and New Maryland Mayor, Judy Wilson-Shee — by just 58 votes. 

In Oromocto-Sunbury, cabinet minister Mary Wilson came out considerably ahead of Liberal challenger — and a former cabinet minister himself — Stephen Horsman.

Kris Austin, a cabinet minister under Higgs, won decisively in Fredericton-Grand Lake. 

Voters in Fredericton-York have returned PC Ryan Cullins to the legislature, while PC Don Monahan took more than half the vote in Arcadia-Butternut Valley-Maple Hills.