CALGARY – Calgary Centre was designated a “riding to watch” with a tight race expected between Conservative MP Joan Crockatt and Liberal Kent Hehr on the heels of the 2015 provincial NDP victory in the area, and it did not disappoint.
Hehr won by just a 1.5 per cent margin, just over 900 votes, hours after Justin Trudeau won a majority government for the Liberals.
The hashtag #CalgaryCentre was trending late into the evening, as voters followed along in anticipation.
When asked if he would be anticipating a cabinet post Monday morning, Hehr responded, “that’s above my pay grade.”
WATCH ABOVE: Newly elected MP Kent Hehr speaks with Dallas Flexhaug following election win
Crockatt had been the subject of controversy in August, when she and Calgary Pride organizers “mutually agreed on the withdrawal of her application to march” in the parade after she’d initially been invited. Her support for the LGBTQ community was questioned after she voted against Bill C-279, which aims to add gender identity to the Canadian Human Rights Act.
READ MORE: Conservative candidate Joan Crockatt won’t march in Calgary Pride Parade
The last election in Calgary Centre was a byelection in 2012 to replace Conservative MP Lee Richardson, who resigned to work for then-Premier Alison Redford. Crockatt won that race with 36.87 per cent of the vote, but the Liberal candidate, Harvey Locke, was a close second, with 32.68 per cent.
The riding had previously been won by Conservatives from 2000 through 2011.
While races this close often are put to a recount, Crockatt indicated Monday night she would not be requesting one.
Voter turnout in this riding was just over 72 per cent.
Full results from the 2015 federal election
More information about this riding
With files from Global News
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