Ottawa Centre has held onto its red stripes, with incumbent Liberal MPP Yasir Naqvi comfortably holding on to his seat in Queen’s Park.
With 232 of 258 polls reported by midnight, the numbers stood for themselves. Naqvi's NDP counterpart Anil Naidoo trailed behind with 12,500 votes, compared to over 20,000 ballots cast for Naqvi.
About 200 Liberal supporters cheered at the Preston Bar and Grill Thursday night as early polls were counted.
Among them was former Liberal MPP Richard Patten, who said the results proved people are looking for strong leadership in Premier Dalton
McGuinty and MPP Naqvi during “volatile times internationally.”
“Ottawa Centre is always a battle between the Liberals and the NDP. (Naqvi) has won tonight because he is a hard worker.”
Premier Dalton McGuinty hung on to both his Ottawa South riding and a third Liberal government. But with 53 seats, the Liberals are one seat short of a majority government.
The Progressive Conservatives trail at 37 seats and the NDP come in at 17, with 54 seats in a 107-seat legislature guaranteeing a majority.
“Four more years,” chanted the packed bar as Naqvi filed in.
“Let me, first of all, congratulate all the candidates who ran in this election in Ottawa Centre,” said the 38-year-old president of the Ontario Liberal Party, adding his candidates became “good friends” over the campaign.
He emphasized collaboration among community members to bring about solutions, especially during choppy economic waters – something he plans to continue to do for the next four years.
“It’s heartening to see the people of Ontario want a solid, stable government so that we can continue in these tough economic times, while protecting our vital public services like health care and education,” Naqvi said about his party teetering on the brink of a third consecutive majority Liberal government.
Ottawa Centre has a 40-year history of swinging between the Liberals and the NDP, with Naqvi securing another four years to a 16-year Liberal record.
Ontarians are gifting the Liberals with another term in office because of veteran McGuinty’s “strong leadership,” said the Ottawa Centre MPP.
“Doesn’t matter what political stripe you belong to, you’ve seen (Naqvi) is your community, you’ve seen (Naqvi) in the schoolyards . . . (Naqvi) is hustling. Nobody in the province hustled like Yasir Naqvi,” said Scott Bradley, the Ottawa Centre federal Liberal candidate in the last election, adding that he faced tough competition from a “strong candidate” in Anil Naidoo.
After the results came in, Naidoo spoke to the crowd at his election night party.
"We can rest easy tonight knowing that we did make a change here," he said.
"I may not be your MPP, but I'll keep fighting for this community."