Jack Carr wins riding for Tories
Published Tuesday November 4th, 2008
Jack Carr held onto the riding of New Maryland-Sunbury West for the Progressive Conservative Party on Monday night - but just barely.
Carr received 2,494 votes, or 51.1 per cent of the ballots cast, compared to Debbie McCann who tallied 2,236 votes for the Liberals.
That's a difference of 258 votes.
By comparison, Keith Ashfield won the riding by 555 votes in 2006.
"I feel so overwhelmed," said Carr.
"I am humbled and I am very proud to be the MLA for New Maryland-Sunbury West."
The win means the Liberals have 32 seats in the New Brunswick legislature and the Tories have 23.
The Tories held onto the seat that Ashfield vacated to successfully run as the Conservative MP for Fredericton.
Carr lost almost every poll in New Maryland. But he won almost every poll in the more rural parts of the riding.
"I knew it would be close," he said. "We were up with the huge task of taking on the government in power, the government with the money and the promises."
Carr said he couldn't comment on losing in New Maryland because he hadn't had time to analyze the vote on a poll-by-poll basis.
"I look at it as I had support from all over the riding," he said.
Debbie McCann watched the results roll in at her campaign headquarters in Victoria Hall in New Maryland.
She fell behind early and her success in New Maryland wasn't enough to compensate for Tory victories in Nasonworth, Waasis, Tracy and Fredericton Junction.
By 9 p.m., she was behind by more than 200 votes. The Liberals held onto the hope that results from the advance poll would pull her through.
McCann put on a good face for her supporters.
"It has been a wonderful experience," she said. "We left no stone unturned. Smile, because you have done a wonderful job. There is another election in a couple of years time and we did gain ground this time."
Michael McCaffrey received 152 votes for the NDP.
After winning the byelection, Carr promised to work hard to get New Maryland the water tower it needs so the village can develop and expand. He said the Liberals supported the water tower during the election campaign.
Carr took some criticism when he filed a complaint to the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission over the lack of high-speed Internet in the riding. On Monday night, he said he had no regrets.
"I took some criticism, but I also received a lot of (supportive) phone calls and e-mails from people, not only from New Maryland-Sunbury West but from all over the province," he said. "I know I am on the right side of the issue."
Carr said Monday's result sends a strong message to Premier Shawn Graham's government.
"I let people know that Shawn Graham doesn't deserve your vote because he broke promises, and when you make a promise at election time you should follow through with it," he said.
The Liberals also broke an election promise from 2006 and raised taxes, said Carr.
His election means that, for the first time in the New Brunswick legislature, there will be twins sitting as MLAs.
Jody Carr is the Tory MLA for Oromocto and was Jack Carr's campaign manager.
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