Eric Foster speaks to supporters after winning the Vernon-Monashee riding.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

VERNON - Eric Foster has done it again.

The B.C. Liberal candidate has won another four years as Vernon-Monashee’s MLA. And the first person he called was his mom. 

“She’s watching it (election) in Nova Scotia. She and my sister go to sleep and then get up at midnight and turn it on,” Foster said Tuesday night, May 9, after learning of his re-election.

Cheers and clapping erupted around 9 p.m. at the Schubert Centre, where Foster and supporters gathered to watch the election.

Eric Foster was all smiles at his election party at the Schubert Centre.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

As of 9:30 p.m., with 68 of 119 polls reporting, Foster had more than 7,000 votes. Barry Dorval of the B.C. NDP had roughly 4,400, followed closely by Keli Westgate of the Green Party, with about 3,200 votes. Libertarian Don Jefcoat had 195.

“I’m feeling great,” Foster said amid hugs and congratulations from supporters. “The people of Vernon-Monashee have been most generous again.”

Foster, 67, has already served two back-to-back terms as MLA. The Lumby resident has been involved in politics for nearly half of his life, starting out in municipal government back in the 1980s.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

He admits he was nervous today as the polls came in.

“For anybody that’s ever done this, this is the longest day of your life,” he said.

Foster has said that housing was one of the biggest issues in the election, and said Tuesday, May 9, he will keep pushing to get things done.

He also congratulated his competitors for a running good campaigns.

“Although we don’t all agree on politics and philosophy and how we’re going to get there, it was a really nice campaign to be involved in,” Foster said.

NDP candidate Barry Dorval gave a tearful thank you speech to his family, campaign team and supporters.

The high school teacher admitted he asn’t completely surprised by Foster’s re-election

“This was the outcome I anticipated because this is a very hard riding to win,” he said.

As of 10:30 p.m., the Liberals and NDP were polling neck and neck, with the Green Party having claimed three seats. Despite his loss, Dorval was energized by the outlook across the province. 

“I really honestly believe this will revolutionize what we’re going to do politically in this province,” Dorval said. “You’ve got two parties committed to proportional representation.”

NDP candidate Barry Dorval thanks supporters for a hard fought campaign.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

— This story was updated at 10:50 p.m. May 9, 2017 to add comments from Barry Dorval. 

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