Bernadette Jordan became the first Liberal candidate to win twice in South Shore-St. Margarets, maintaining the seat she first took in 2015.
Jordan led from the first polls that came in and saw her lead grow throughout the evening while watching results from an upstairs room at her campaign office in Bridgewater.
Some pundits had her declared elected just over an hour after the polls closed, when she had a 1,600 vote lead. Loud cheers were heard from upstairs as well as the group of supporters that was watching the results downstairs.
Jordan said she didn't take anything for granted heading into the election.
"I took nothing for granted through this whole campaign," she said after exchanging celebratory hugs with well-wishers. "I campaigned like we were 100 votes behind every day. We knocked on tens of thousands of doors, we made thousands of phone calls... we were really out there and that's what paid off."
She said while campaigning "a lot of people had a lot of concerns, but most are very pleased with the record here in South Shore-St. Margarets. They were happy with the work we've been doing, and obviously that paid off tonight."
She said the strong Liberal showing in Atlantic Canada was because the party "worked hard for Atlantic Canada, we delivered for Atlantic Canada, we made sure we're addressing the issues in Atlantic Canada."
Conservative Rick Perkins finished second, and the NDP's Jessika Hepburn was third.
Results as of 11 p.m. (205 of 206 polls reporting)
Bernadette Jordan (Liberal) 17,127
Rick Perkins (Conservative) 11,668
Jessika Hepburn (NDP) 6,356
Thomas Trappenberg (Green) 4,571
Robert Monk (PPC) 522
Steven Foster (Independent) 307
Shawn McMahon (Independent) 126
Kevin Schulthies (Christian Heritage) 99
Jason Matthews (Veterans Coalition Party) 94
