EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been updated because the original version of it incorrectly stated that the Liberals did not hold a seat in Calgary between 1968 and 2021. We regret the error.
Alberta remained solidly Conservative blue in Monday’s federal election, dominating in all but a handful of ridings while bucking the national trend that saw Mark Carney’s Liberals returned for a fourth term.
In smaller centres and rural areas, Conservatives were elected and re-elected, many in landslide numbers, including Garnett Genuis in Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, Shannon Stubbs in Lakeland, Michelle Rempel Garner in Calgary Nose Hill, Rachael Thomas in Lethbridge and John Barlow in Foothills.
As of 12 a.m. Tuesday, Global News was projecting Conservative wins in 32 of the province’s 37 ridings.
In Calgary, George Chahal won a seat for the Liberals in 2021. Early Tuesday however, he was trailing to Conservative challenger Dalwinder Gill in the redrawn riding of Calgary McKnight.
Chahal was scheduled to speak from his campaign office in northeast Calgary at 8:45 p.m.
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He didn’t emerge until about 11 p.m.
“Tonight, we’re still waiting for the results,” Chahal told a crowd of teary-eyed supporters. “This election was much tighter than anticipated. Once all the polls are in, I will make a formal statement.”
In Calgary Confederation, Liberal Corey Hogan was leading Conservative Jeremy Nixon, a former Alberta cabinet minister, in a nail-biter race as of 12 a.m. on Tuesday.
Conservative incumbent Greg McLean appeared to be fending off a stiff challenge in Calgary Centre early Tuesday from Liberal Lindsay Luhnau.
In Edmonton, the Liberals and NDP failed to consolidate or build on earlier gains.
The Liberals were leading in Edmonton Centre early Tuesday, with candidate Eleanor Olszewski ahead of Conservative Sayid Ahmed. The riding had been held by former Liberal cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault, but he did not run again.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi, a former federal energy minister, had hoped to return to the Liberal fold in Edmonton Southeast but was handily defeated by Conservative candidate Jagsharan Singh Mahal.
Sohi told a solemn crowd of supporters at a banquet hall that the election result wasn’t what he was expecting, but that he had no regrets.
“This is not a reflection of this campaign,” Sohi said.
“I take full responsibility for this because we can always, always do better, and I’m committed to making sure that I do better.”
Sohi will now return to the mayor’s seat, but he confirmed he won’t be seeking re-election in October.
In Edmonton Griesbach, Conservative Kerry Diotte won back the riding he lost to Blake Desjarlais of the NDP in 2021, defeating Desjarlais handily in a rematch.
In Edmonton Strathcona, NDP Heather McPherson of the NDP won a third term, defeating Conservative Miles Berry.
— With files from Global News
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