NDP's Carla Compton wins Tuxedo byelection, wrestling longtime stronghold away from PCs

The Manitoba NDP's Carla Compton has been elected in a Winnipeg riding that has previously only voted Progressive Conservative in its entire four-decade history.

The New Democrats won Tuxedo, long regarded as a Tory stronghold, by a margin of just over 600 votes.

"Tonight, we have proven there is no such thing as a safe PC seat in Manitoba," Compton said to rousing applause, at a victory party at the Original Joe's restaurant on Kenaston Boulevard.

With all polling stations reporting, Compton garnered 3,777 votes, ahead of Progressive Conservative candidate Lawrence Pinsky, who had 3,175, according to Elections Manitoba's unofficial results.

As well, Liberal candidate Jamie Pfau had the support of 569 voters, and the Green Party's Janine Gibson received 118 votes. 

Turnout was 45.6 per cent, the provincial agency said.

The byelection was called after the riding's Tory MLA, former premier Heather Stefanson, announced her retirement from politics earlier this year.

Pinsky suggested he would contest the Tuxedo nomination again for the Tories.

"We will take this back. We will form the government. We will put Manitoba back on the right track," he said in his concession speech. 

"We got 3½ years, which unfortunately will be a problem for the rest of Manitoba, but we will take it back."

The family lawyer, who campaigned with a focus on public safety and provincial finances, blamed his loss on the fact the NDP called the byelection before any other party had their candidate in place, which he called an "opportunistic call" by the premier.

"If we had a little more time, we would have won for sure," Pinsky said, before his campaign manager called off the scrum with reporters.

The provincial seat in west-central Winnipeg has historically been a Progressive Conservative stronghold, but the NDP came within 276 votes of upsetting the Tories in last October's general election, despite barely campaigning in the riding.

This time around, the now-governing New Democrats deployed significant resources in a successful effort to snatch the riding from the PCs.