His party may have been relegated to opposition status for the first time in 16 years, but Lorne Calvert easily won in Saskatoon Riversdale.
With all polls reporting, the NDP leader had about 56 per cent of the vote, more than double the total of his nearest rival, Fred Ozirney of the Saskatchewan Party. Liberal Roman Todos ran a distant third.
"I thank you, I thank you, I thank you," a composed Calvert told supporters at his headquarters.
"We ran a good campaign," he said. "We campaigned on our values."
Calvert said he would take some time to reflect on his future as leader in coming months. He said he'll consult with his family and caucus to make that decision "down the road."
"The likelihood is not great that I would lead the party into the next election, but that decision is not made," he told reporters. "I wouldn't make that tonight, I wouldn't make that next week."
Calvert, 54, had been dogged during the campaign by poll results that put his party more than 20 points behind the Saskatchewan Party.
Before the race even started, several key NDP MLAs had decided not to run again, including former cabinet ministers Andrew Thomson, Eric Cline and deputy premier Clay Serby, who is undergoing cancer treatment.
A series of spending announcements in the weeks leading up to the election call failed to boost the party’s sagging popularity. Attack ads comparing the Saskatchewan Party to a wolf in sheep’s clothing also failed to make an immediate impact.
Engineered 2003 comeback
But Calvert, who took over as premier in 2001, had come from behind before. He was credited with helping the party survive a close call in 2003 when he led the NDP to a two-seat majority government.
The Saskatchewan Party under leader Elwin Hermanson had pulled ahead by 6.5 per cent in one media poll in the spring before the November vote. Mid-campaign polls also indicated that two-thirds of Saskatchewan residents wanted a change from an NDP government that had been in power since 1991.
But with a boisterous Calvert leading the charge, the New Democrats roared back, helped in part by the leader’s personal popularity at the time and campaign gaffes by Hermanson.
Saskatchewan Votes 2007 »
- Saskatchewan Party wins majority government
- Only 10 years into its existence as a political force, the Saskatchewan Party will form a majority government and its leader Brad Wall will be the new premier.
- NDP had a 'good run in government'
- A desire for change pushed the NDP out of 16 years of rule in Saskatchewan, but leader Lorne Calvert said the party has no regrets.
- Liberals fail again to elect single MLA
- The third time was not a charm for Liberal Leader David Karwacki, as voters in Saskatoon Meewasin rebuffed his efforts for elected office.
- Shift in urban vote handed seats to Sask. Party
- The seeds of victory were sown in Regina and Saskatoon, where the Saskatchewan Party picked up five seats — but there were gains in other urban areas, too, that helped seal the election win.
- NDP holds on in Regina, but loses 3 seats
- Fortress Regina continued to stand for the NDP when the dust of Wednesday's election had settled, though its foundation was shaken by a trio of Saskatchewan Party wins.
Constituency Profiles
More Saskatchewan Votes Headlines »
- Saskatchewan Party wins majority government
- Only 10 years into its existence as a political force, the Saskatchewan Party will form a majority government and its leader Brad Wall will be the new premier.
- NDP had a 'good run in government'
- A desire for change pushed the NDP out of 16 years of rule in Saskatchewan, but leader Lorne Calvert said the party has no regrets.
- Liberals fail again to elect single MLA
- The third time was not a charm for Liberal Leader David Karwacki, as voters in Saskatoon Meewasin rebuffed his efforts for elected office.
- Shift in urban vote handed seats to Sask. Party
- The seeds of victory were sown in Regina and Saskatoon, where the Saskatchewan Party picked up five seats — but there were gains in other urban areas, too, that helped seal the election win.
- NDP holds on in Regina, but loses 3 seats
- Fortress Regina continued to stand for the NDP when the dust of Wednesday's election had settled, though its foundation was shaken by a trio of Saskatchewan Party wins.
