It was less than an hour after the polls closed that Liberal incumbent Linda Larson was declared victorious in the south Okanagan riding of Boundary-Similkameen.
Cheers erupted as a staffer with the Larson campaign entered the Liberal party headquarters at Silver Sage winery near Oliver and said, “you got it!” before Larson was showered with hugs from supporters.
A much more sombre mood at Medici’s Gelateria in Oliver where NDP challenger Colleen Ross’s supporters watched the election results roll in on the big screen.
Independent candidate Dr.Peter Entwistle trailed in third followed by Vonnie Cavers with the BC Green Party.
“You know I’ve worked really hard for four years I would like to think that some of the work that I’ve done was recognized and did make a difference,” said Larson after her victory.
Meanwhile, Ross was visibly emotional as she gave her concession speech.
“People in our community have decided and we fought a really good race we poured so much love on the doorsteps every single day we knocked on doors and poured love into people’s lives,” she said.
READ MORE: B.C. election 2017: Christy Clark re-elected in riding of Kelowna-West
The NDP hasn’t won the riding since 1991 but it was described as a swing riding as both BC Liberal Leader Christy Clark and BC NDP leader John Horgan held events in Boundary-Similkameen, considered a potential path for the NDP’s road to victory.
The sprawling rural riding encompassing communities along highway 3 in the south Okanagan and Similkameen Valley including Tulameen, Princeton, Hedley, Keremeos, Osoyoos, Oliver, Greenwood, Grand Forks and Christina Lake.