Incumbent Progressive Conservative candidate Jeff Johnson was returned to the Alberta legislature Monday night, turning back the challenge of Wildrose opponent Travis Olson in the Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater riding.
With all 80 polls counted, Johnson had retained his seat with 7,377 votes to Olson’s 5,297.
“It’s very humbling, but not something to take for granted,” Johnson said. “I’ve worked hard the last four years and I’m looking forward to the next four years.”
Johnson returns as part of a Tory majority government, in the Alison Redford-led Conservatives.
“Voters had to examine the different parties and their platforms in this election, and they had to pay attention to who they thought should win.”
New Democrat candidate Mandy Melnyk finished in third place 2,091.
Liberal Gino Akbari rounded out the ballot with a total of 476 votes.
Johnson dodged the question of whether the majority government benefited from people voting PC to prevent a Wildrose victory.
“I think Alberta is full of entrepreneurs and they have conservative values,” he said. “And that it was difficult to speculate why and how people vote.”
Johnson said that with the first female premier elected, it shows the direction in which Alberta is headed.
“It’s going to make us stronger,” he said. “The premier is very upbeat. She’s a global thinker, and I think that’s what Alberta needs right now.”
Johnson was amazed to see the amount of votes cast, because in the 2008 election only 40 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot.
After a hard-fought campaign against the Progressive Conservative (PC) party, both the Wildrose and the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidates conceded gracious defeat with nothing but warm wishes for re-elected Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater representative Jeff Johnson Monday night.
Olson was disappointed in losing the campaign but found solace in the fact that although the PCs won with a majority government, the Wildrose was able to close to gap from where they were in the last election.
“When people come out in the advance polls, it means they are voting for change,” Olson said. He added that he was very impressed with how many people voted, but still disappointed he lost.
“It’s disappointing, of course. I think we ran a very successful campaign and we got more seats than we did before … which is good. We were going for government and we didn’t get it, so it’s disappointing.”
As the results kept trickling in, and Olson realized that he wasn’t going to win in the riding, he jokingly declared to the friends and family surrounding him in his Athabasca campaign office that, “It looks like whiskey instead of champagne, guys.”
Despite the loss, Olson said he no regrets about his campaign.
“It’s a good feeling that I wouldn’t change anything and do anything differently,” Olson said. “We have a good camp and a good a team and everyone worked very hard, and we narrowed the gap. It’s back to working on the farm for me, which is fantastic because I love it, but I still plan to be very involved with the Wildrose party.”
Mirroring Olson’s sentiments, Melnyk said she thinks the NDP ran a good campaign.
“I think we came pretty close with the Wildrose in most polls,” Melnyk said. “We had a great run and a great campaign, and it gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of great people who know that change is needed, and it’s given everyone a lot to think about. People know what we need a strong voice with a backbone. I’m pretty sure we’ll take it next time.”
She added that she doesn’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon and that the NDP have come a long way since the last election — and even since the campaign started six months ago, noting that they started with nothing.
“It’s a little too soon to tell, but it’s very likely that I’d run again,” Melnyk said. “We laid such good groundwork for the future. We picked up seats across the province. I’m so excited to stay involved with the NDP, absolutely. They are like my second family. It’s a fantastic time to be part of the NDP. We have given people permission to come out of the closet and be NDP, to say that they don’t like what is going on. Nothing is worst than defeatism. Defeatism is worse than being defeated, and we are not defeatist.”
As for the incumbent’s win, both Olson and Melnyk wish Johnson good luck in the next four years.
“This was an election based on trust, and the PCs ran a very negative campaign with the devil you know and the devil you don’t know,” Olson said. “They instilled enough doubt in people’s minds about the Wildrose, which is unfortunate.
“But I wish Jeff luck and wish him well because it’s not an easy job,” Olson said. “I’m pleased with the fact that we at least have a strong opposition to challenge the PC in the future.”
For Melnyk, she also wished Johnson nothing but the best in the next four years, adding that she just wants to thank everyone who voted in the election.
“I want to say congratulations to Jeff and I wish him the best, and I want to stress a huge thanks to everyone who came out and voted, and for participating in the democratic process and for being involved,” she said. “We inspired so many people throughout this campaign and I know that we will continue to do so in the future.”
