SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — There was a quiet buzz at the headquarters of the Bobby Morrissey campaign in Summerside on election night.
The incumbent candidate wasn’t at the headquarters for most of the night.
But his absence didn’t stop scrutineers and a handful of Liberal supporters (including past and current MLAs) from stopping in to check on the leaderboard.
By around 10 p.m., Morrissey had been declared as the member of Parliament for the riding for a second term. Morrissey, who spent the first part of the evening travelling between his home in the Wellington area and his Tignish constituency office, arrived in Summerside sometime after 11 p.m.
Morrissey campaigned on what the Justin Trudeau government has done for Islanders, Egmont residents and Canadians alike.
Logan McLellan, the Conservative candidate, had a quick lead, but it wasn’t long before Morrissey bridged the gap and later took the lead by as much as 30 votes as the early polls were reported. After that early start, Morrissey didn’t give up the lead.
When asked if his confidence about winning again ever waivered, Morrissey said he believed in his motto: the voter is always right.
“The people in Egmont really engaged in the issues, following the national campaign where it seemed more about the personalities.
“I was confident we had done the work in the community and had a good team on the ground.”
He said the major concern he heard from residents at the door was the issues surrounding health care on P.E.I. While he said this was something the provincial government was responsible for, he stressed it was important the federal government be aware of the situation and impress upon the Island government that more needs to be done.
“The dominant concern at the door was the issues with the Island health-care system and people not having access to the proper treatment or a family doctor.”
Long-time supporter of Morrissey, Darlene Everett waited out the evening until the politician arrived to congratulate him.
“I’m excited and pleased he got in. It’s very well deserved for how well he’s been for Egmont. We’ve supported him a long time. Back when he was supported the aerospace centre (my husband worked there) in 1990. We’ve always been Bobby supporters.”
