Alberta Liberal Leader Kevin Taft won his seat in Edmonton-Riverview and will be returning to the legislature, but with a greatly-reduced caucus.
Taft took 51 per cent of the votes, down 15 per cent from his 2004 win. His closest rival, Tory Wendy Andrews, had 35 per cent.
But Taft's victory in this provincial election is bittersweet, as his party's hold on the 16 seats it had going into the vote was reduced to nine.
Political analysts are calling it a major defeat and question whether Taft can stay on as leader.
In his last race in the 2004 provincial election, the Liberal leader had the distinction of receiving the highest number of votes for any candidate in the province: more than 10,280 ballots — almost 66 per cent of the votes cast.
Before entering politics in 2001, Taft was an academic, taking shots at the Conservatives from outside the legislature through a series of books, including Shredding the Public Interest, which led then-premier Ralph Klein to call him a communist.
But the 52-year-old Taft has not been able to translate that notoriety into a higher profile with the public. He has been criticized for lacking charisma and being unable to relate to average Albertans.
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Alberta Votes 2008 »
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Riding Profiles
More Alberta Votes Headlines »
- It's 'Ed's Empire' after Alberta election sweep
- Political observers in Alberta are calling it remarkable and opposition politicians are wondering what hit them after Ed Stelmach guided his Conservative party Monday to one of its biggest majorities ever.
- Low voter turnout in Alberta election being questioned
- As Premier Ed Stelmach and Alberta Conservatives savour their sweeping election victory, some people are raising a nagging concern: why so few people bothered to vote.
- Albertans elect historic 11th straight Tory government
- Voters in Alberta stuck with tried-and-true blue, giving the Progressive Conservative party an unprecedented 11th consecutive majority government in Monday's provincial election.
- Political tide turns in Edmonton
- Alberta Progressive Conservative Leader Ed Stelmach has proven true to his word, putting the "Ed" back in Edmonton.
- Conservatives' Calgary fortress resists change
- The Progressive Conservatives' fortress in Calgary stood strong as the party took 18 of the city's 23 ridings Monday night.
