John Yakabuski will return to Queen’s Park as the Member of Provincial Parliament for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke after sweeping his way to his sixth election victory Thursday night.
Yakabuski was first elected as MPP for the riding in 2003, winning a close race over then-Liberal candidate Derek Nighbor.
He has now won five more elections since then, never receiving less than 60 per cent of the vote.
With two-thirds of the polls across the riding reporting in shortly before 10 pm Thursday, Yakabuski had garnered 19,461 of the ballots cast, or 61.49% of the vote.
Kurt Stoll of the New Democratic Party (NDP) was running in second place with 5,460 votes or 17.25% support, more than 14,000 behind.
Oliver Jacob of the Ontario Liberal Party was third with 3,141 votes or 9.92%, while Thomas O’Connor of the “New Blue” party of Ontario was fourth with 1,351 (4.27%).
Meanwhile, PC leader Doug Ford was well on his way to a strong second majority government, with his party elected or leading in 81 ridings across the province.
The NDP was ahead in 29 while the Ontario Liberals looked to bounce back from a disastrous 2018 campaign and were ahead in eight.
“He steered this province through some of the most difficult times it has ever seen,” Yakabuski said of Premier Doug Ford as he celebrated the night’s results with supporters at the Clarion Hotel in Pembroke.
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