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

Posted on June 18, 2024 by Peggy

The NDP’s Carla Compton has been elected in Winnipeg’s Tuxedo riding, winning the seat for the party for the first time in the riding’s history.

“In the general election, people in Tuxedo spoke very loudly that they were ready for change and the NDP heard that call,” Compton told supporters at a victory party at the Original Joe’s restaurant on Kenaston Boulevard in Winnipeg after the unofficial results were announced.

“And we showed up in the byelection to show them that we are here for them.”

According to unofficial results as of 10 p.m., with all polling stations reporting, Compton led with 3,777 votes, ahead of Progressive Conservative candidate Lawrence Pinsky, who had 3,175.

Liberal candidate Jamie Pfau had 569 votes and Green candidate Janine Gibson had 118, according to Elections Manitoba.

Turnout was 45.6 per cent, according to Elections Manitoba.

People gathered in a restaurant cheer. — Manitoba NDP supporters in Winnipeg celebrate after hearing the party had won the byelection in the Tuxedo riding on Tuesday. (Bartley Kives/CBC)

Polls closed Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the byelection, which was called after the riding’s Tory MLA, former premier Heather Stefanson, announced her retirement from politics earlier this year.

“We will take this back. We will form the government. We will put Manitoba back on the right track,” Pinsky said, during 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 early, which was a “tactical decision” by the premier.

“If we had a little more time, we would have won for sure,” he said.

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 an effort to snatch the riding from the PCs.

The NDP went into the byelection with polls suggesting it still enjoys popular support in the city.

A recent Probe Research poll suggests the NDP has the support of more Winnipeggers than it enjoyed on election day. The online survey of 1,000 adults was conducted between May 28 and June 9, 2024.

Only two other MLAs have been elected by voters of Tuxedo since the affluent constituency was formed 43 years ago, both of whom were Tories and served as premier. Stefanson and her Tuxedo predecessor, Gary Filmon, won a total of 13 general elections or byelections in the riding.

Stefanson, who had held the Tuxedo riding in Winnipeg for the Tories since 2000, announced she would step down as party leader after her party lost last October’s election, and later announced she would also resign as MLA.

The Tories will choose Stefanson’s successor as party leader in 2025.

Four candidates competed for the seat in Tuxedo.

Compton beat the PC’s Pinsky, the Liberals’ Pfau, an advocate for foster parents and a PhD candidate in community health sciences, and Green Party Leader Gibson.