Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten steps down after election loss

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten says he’s stepping down as leader after his party failed to make significant gains in the provincial election and he lost his own seat. The 37-year-old says it was a tough decision, but it was the right thing to do.

“The best course for the party, the caucus and for my family,” Broten said.

“As you go over different scenarios in your mind, you can think about things that could have happened or maybe should have happened, but the reality is we’re here today. I didn’t win my seat.”

It was a tight race in Saskatoon Westview, but Broten lost to the Saskatchewan Party candidate by about 200 votes.

WATCH: Former NDP leader Cam Broten was in a conciliatory mood during his concession speech, saying that while the outcome of the election was not what he and his party were looking for, it was important to respect the voters.

1:56 Cam Broten: This isn’t quite the night we were hoping for

“For the good of both my party and my family, I believe it’s the right decision at this time to resign as leader of Saskatchewan’s New Democrats,” Broten said Monday at a news conference in Saskatoon.

“I love this province and its people. I love public service and I love my political party … I will miss so much about this life in the months ahead.”

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READ MORE: Shoe-leather politics: David Buckingham beat Saskatchewan NDP Leader Cam Broten

The New Democrats took 10 of 61 seats in the legislature in last Monday’s vote.

The NDP held nine seats going into the election and had hoped for a good number more to show momentum in the party’s rebuilding efforts.

Broten was first elected as a member of the legislature in 2007 and replaced previous leader Dwain Lingenfelter after he was defeated in the 2011 election.

Party officials announced that an interim leader will be selected on April 23 following a joint meeting between members of the party caucus and the provincial council.

“I know there’s a lot of New Democrats who are passionate about that and committed and I know there will be people who will want to carry on the fight as I want to carry on the fight,” Broten said.

With files from Global News