Doyle Vermette has survived another onslaught from the Saskatchewan Party to keep northeastern Saskatchewan NDP orange.
In Monday’s provincial election, Vermette won 63 per cent of the vote as he was elected to a second full term as MLA of the Cumberland constituency.
“I’m very humbled and very pleased. The people of Cumberland have spoken,” he wrote on his Facebook page late Monday. “To everyone, it will be my honour to represent you and make you my priority.”
The governing Saskatchewan Party had high hopes for their Cumberland candidate, Thomas Sierzycki, the young and respected mayor of La Ronge.
Sierzycki spent 18 months building up his profile in the vast riding, but in the end he managed just 30 per cent of the vote.
Reached by phone late Monday, Sierzycki expressed his gratitude to Creighton voters. He said unofficial results showed the community tilted his way.
Sierzycki also congratulated Vermette and wished him all the best in the next four years.
In terms of raw vote totals, Vermette had 3,337 of 5,335 eligible tallies. Sierzycki had 1,577 votes.
Liberal George Morin was a distant third with 347 votes (seven per cent). The Green Party’s Michael Lessard was also a non-factor with 74 votes (one per cent).
Provincewide, unofficial results showed Premier Brad Wall’s Saskatchewan Party winning 51 of 61 seats. The NDP gained one seat for a total of 10.
