Adam Chambers wins re-election in Simcoe North
Adam Chambers wins re-election in Simcoe North
While final results have not yet been tabulated, it appears Conservative Adam Chambers will secure another term as the Member of Parliament for Simcoe North.
Chambers was celebrating the results Monday night surrounded by supporters at Bonaire Golf in Coldwater as the results trickled in on large television screens.
In what was essentially a two-horse race, Chambers trailed after the first poll, but incrementally grew a lead as the night wore on. By 11:45 p.m., with 99 of 227 polls counted, Chambers led the way with 8,467 votes. Rocca was second with 6,674 votes. NDP candidate Melissa Lloyd was a distant third with just 746 votes.
Speaking before the final results were in, Chambers was happy with what he was seeing.
“I thought it was great,” Chambers said of the campaign. “We knocked on thousands of doors. We spoke to as many people as we could.”
The late-March ice storm and power outages posed a challenge during the campaign, temporarily halting canvassing efforts.
“Everyone had to deal with that kind of pause in activities,” he said. “But I was really happy with the ground we were able to cover. The feedback that we were getting at the doors was very positive.”
Chambers said listening to voters was the foundation of his campaign.
“It was more about asking people, ‘What is it that you’re concerned about?’” he said. “There was lots of discussion about the economy, crime, jobs, tariffs — people had a lot to say.”
While national conversations often focused on U.S. politics and trade, Chambers said local issues remained top of mind for many in Simcoe North.
“People brought up the president and tariffs, but often they were more focused on the economy, jobs, taxes — those were the things people said they were most concerned about,” he said.
Now heading back to Ottawa, Chambers said his priorities will be shaped by those conversations at the doorstep.
“Many politicians or parties’ priorities should be mostly designed around feedback they receive from voters,” he said.
As has been the story, for the most part, across the nation, tonight’s election in Simcoe North was a two-party contest.
The implosion of the NDP has been a significant factor in the results locally and nationally.
In Simcoe North, for example, the NDP ran a candidate — Melissa Lloyd — who was a non-entity in the election. Not only have reporters not been able to track her down, the federal party could not provide any biographical information.
At the only candidates’ forum of the election in Simcoe North, last week in Midland, she did not show up, citing a scheduling conflict.
In fact, OrilliaMatters reached out to the past local NDP candidate, the riding association and the press secretary of the party to find out more about Lloyd.
The former candidate and the local riding association did not even respond to emails. The party’s press secretary, Rebecca Elming, responded to our initial request with a link to photos of the party’s candidates.
“Hers isn’t in there yet, but it’s updated regularly,” Elming said in an April 15 email. Lloyd’s photo still is not on the lineup of NDP candidates.
In a second email, OrilliaMatters requested a biography of the candidate and contact information. “I’ll see what I can do,” Elming replied.
No other response was ever provided.
Reporter Tyler Evans is at Bonaire and will have much more on Chambers’ victory later tonight. Andrew Philips is with Ryan Rocca’s campaign at the Coldwater Legion and will also have much more later tonight.
— With files from Dave Dawson
