Conservatives snatch riding to solidify London region base

Conservatives snatch riding to solidify London region base


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The Conservatives tightened their grip Monday on the 10-riding London area, snatching an city driving in London to extend the occasion’s seat rely to eight.

Kurt Holman, who knocked off the NDP’s Lyndsay Mathyssen in London-Fanshawe, and Andrew Lawton, who took Elgin-St. Thomas-London South after a bruising marketing campaign, are the brand new faces for the Conservatives who swept the area’s rural ridings, together with Middlesex-London, a brand new driving combining the town’s north finish with Middlesex County.

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Conservative candidates cruised to victory within the rural ridings ringing London, profitable 50 per cent or extra of the votes solid.

However whereas London-area Conservative candidates did their half, the occasion was denied a majority that appeared all however sure earlier than Justin Trudeau resigned as prime minister and Donald Trump was elected as president of the USA.

The emergence of the untested Mark Carney as the brand new Liberal chief and Trump’s declaration of a commerce warfare in opposition to Canada (and almost each different nation on the planet) brought about an enormous Conservative lead within the polls to fade as the main target of voters shifted from affordability to the specter of Trump.

“If this election would have been in October, we most likely would have received by 40 or 50 per cent,” mentioned Ben Lobb, the Conservative candidate who received his sixth consecutive time period in Huron-Bruce.

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Lobb praised Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre for drawing younger folks to the occasion.

“The best contribution he’s made to the occasion is renewing it, refreshing it, and bringing younger folks into politics … first time voters which can be of their 20s.”

Different London area Conservative stalwarts similar to Dave Epp in Chatham-Kent–Leamington, Marilyn Gladu in Sarnia-Lambton-Bkejwanong and John Nater in Perth-Wellington, rolled up large wins.

Nater, who was first elected in 2015, mentioned election day is “solely ballot that issues.

“I all the time say, don’t get too enthusiastic about the very best polls. Don’t get too detrimental in regards to the worst ballot. Simply maintain working. And that’s what we’ve completed all through this marketing campaign.”

Conservative Andrew Lawton
Conservative candidate Andrew Lawton celebrates his victory in Elgin-St. Thomas-London South at his election occasion on the Columbus Membership in St. Thomas on Monday, April 28, 2025. (Brian Williams/The London Free Press)

Lawton, who wrote a biography of Poilievre, and Arpan Khanna, a Conservative who received the driving of Oxford in a 2023 byelection, confronted extra of an uphill battle of their campaigns.

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Lawton wasn’t endorsed by Karen Vecchio, who held the driving for the Conservatives from 2015 till she stepped down when the election was known as. About 200 folks protested outdoors Lawton’s marketing campaign workplace in St. Thomas through the marketing campaign, criticizing him for earlier feedback about sure teams for which he has apologized.

“The folks have spoken,” mentioned Lawton, who garnered greater than 50 per cent of the votes solid.

In Oxford, Khanna confronted off once more in opposition to David Hilderley of the Liberals in a rematch of the byelection. The 2 sparred through the marketing campaign when Hilderley criticized Khanna for lacking a debate held by a union that represents autoworkers.

Hilderley additionally accused his Conservative rival of fear-mongering over a letter circulated to a number of Oxford County church buildings suggesting the Liberals intend to finish the tax-exempt standing for locations of worship.

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“Oxford County residents need somebody to face up for them and combat for them …I would be the hardest working member of Parliament on this nation,” Khanna mentioned.

In Middlesex-London, Lianne Rood efficiently straddled the rural-urban divide within the driving that welded north London with Middlesex County.

“I believe there’s numerous commonalities between those that dwell in London and people who dwell within the rural areas, and I will likely be in Parliament to combat for every part that I’ve heard on the doorways,” mentioned Rood, who was first elected in Lambton-Kent-Middlesex in 2019.

And like they had been within the final Parliament, Peter Fragiskatos (London Centre) and Airelle Kayabaga (London West) would be the lone Liberals within the London area – and the lone members of Carney’s group west of Kitchener.

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Kayabaga, who was named to Carney’s cupboard shortly earlier than he known as the election, promised to combat for retirees and small companies.

“We’re going to indicate Trump that this assault is dangerous for each our nations and that he has to again down. We’re going to guard the USMCA settlement as a result of it protects our companies throughout the nation.”

With information from Free Press reporters Jack Moulton, Beatriz Baleeiro, Heather Rivers and Brian Williams; Scott Nixon of the Exeter-Lakeshore Occasions Advance; Invoice Atwood of the Stratford Beacon Herald

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A voter enters a federal polling station on election day in London. Photo taken on April 28, 2029. Mike Hensen/The London Free Press

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Arpan Khanna greets supporters in Woodstock after being re-elected Oxford MP on Monday, April 28, 2025. (Heather Rivers/The London Free Press)

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