Brian Gallant wins Kent byelection for Liberals

Kent voters stuck with the Liberals in Monday nights byelection, giving Brian Gallant a solid victory over the NDP and Progressive Conservatives.

Gallant won with3,543 votes compared to1,615votes for NDP candidate Susan Levi-Peters and837 votes for Tory candidate Jimmy Bourque.

Gallant won the Liberal party's leadership last October.

When the byelection was called, there were 41 Tories, 12 Liberals and one independent in the legislature.

Kent is an eastern New Brunswick riding that is considered a Liberal stronghold. The riding, however, has been represented by one family for decades. Alan Graham was the ridings MLA from 1967 to 1998 when he resigned and his son Shawn Graham held the riding from 1998 to 2013.

Graham resigned in February following a scathing report by the provinces conflict of interest commissioner into his handling of the Atcon file.