Liberal Sean Fraser takes the Central Nova seat from the Conservatives

HALIFAX – The former riding of beloved MP Peter MacKay has been snatched up by the Liberals, with Sean Fraser getting most of the votes.

Central Nova was up for grabs this election, as MacKay is stepping down from politics after the election.

In a change of pace in the past month, the riding started leading more Liberal, and with Justin Trudeau visiting the area on the weekend, the part got the extra boost they needed to secure the seat.

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Former Justice Minister Peter MacKay held the seat since 1997, but announced earlier this year that he would be stepping down from politics to focus on family, putting the riding up for grabs.

The riding of Central Nova had a substantial boundary change, losing a portion of Antigonish County, but gaining a large part of Halifax County including all of the Musquodoboit Valley and part of the Eastern Shore.

The riding has a long history of voting Conservative, and previously for the Progressive Conservatives, with the exception of a Liberal government being instated in 1993.

Fraser also beat out  Green Party candidate David Hachey and NDP candidate Ross Landry to secure the seat for the Liberals.