Cambridge selected a new MPP to represent the riding Thursday, voting in local photographer and Progressive Conservative Brian Riddell, who defeated incumbent Belinda Karahalios and runner up Marjorie Knight.
Waiting in a small family restaurant in Cambridge, Riddell's supporters cheered as PC candidates across the province won their seats.
The newly elected MPP walked into Amicis restaurant at 30 Glamis Road in Cambridge to a roar of applause and congratulations.
“I’m feeling exuberant,” said Riddell. “I’m kinda up in the air.”
Even after the big win, Riddell says he is open to collaborating with everyone regardless of party and wants to represent all of Cambridge, not only his supporters.
“I'm not just here for the people that voted for me. I'm here for everybody and that's my goal,” said Riddell.
The PC party swept through Ontario and Cambridge was no exception. Riddell thinks the people resonate with Doug Ford’s message and are happy with what he has accomplished so far.
“Look at the way we came out of this epidemic,” he said. “We started with no vaccines, even personal protection was coming from other countries and now we're producing it here. We have better ways to address the problem and I think a lot of people appreciate that.”
Riddell won the riding by a margin of 5,845 votes, taking an early lead ahead of runner up Knight whose campaign gained momentum with visits from federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and provincial NDP leader Andrea Horwath on the last day of the campaign.
"It’s a hard night and not the result we wanted. It’s the result we feared. But one thing is clear, that our work is not done," she said while surrounded by supporters.
"People need us more than ever now because what is coming down the pipe is not going to be good," Knight added. "People are going to need help and guidance. People are going to need to be heard. And we are going to have to figure our ways as a community to work and help each other.
"People need to know that there is hope and that they need to vote. The work is not done. We have a lot to do. So, reflect, rest, and we will be ready to go again."
Other candidates are questioning what the continued Ford government's affect will have on Ontarians.
Liberal candidate Surekha Shenoy, said she ran one of the best campaigns out there and is confused with what Ford means by his slogan, "get it done."
"I am scared, what does he mean 'get it done?,' she said. "Privatize health care, cut education, the environment, I am concerned where he is taking the province."
Shenoy said the people she talked to did not want another conservative government and was surprised by the outcome.
"The people at the doors I spoke to begged us to do something about their situation, I am concerned Doug Ford won't listen to the people," Shenoy said.
Of the riding's 91,805, only 42.90 per cent turned out to vote, by all measure a dismal turnout.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted but we’ve had so much growth, so much good has come from this," said Belinda Karahalios, whose campaign as a New Blue Party candidate with her husband Jim as leader of the party, failed to regain the seat she won in 2018 as a member of the PC Party.
"We had run a full slate of candidates, 124. It was a great campaign, we had tons of volunteers, it was just a very positive campaign that we had so I’m really proud of everyone,”
Karahalios and the New Blue party have plans to keep going and are planning to run in the next election.
