Susan Holt leads Liberals to majority, Blaine Higgs loses seat

Susan Holt led the Liberals to a majority victory in the New Brunswick election on Monday and is now the premier-designate.

The Liberals secured 31 ridings, while the Progressive Conservatives (PCs) won 16, and the Greens took two.

Green Party Leader David Coon retained his seat in Fredericton-Lincoln, but PC Leader Blaine Higgs lost his Quispamsis seat to Liberal candidate Aaron Kennedy.

Higgs Concedes and Congratulates Holt

At 9:15 p.m., Higgs addressed supporters in Quispamsis, conceding defeat and acknowledging, "It was not the night we hoped for." He confirmed he had already called Holt to congratulate her and "wish her every success."

Higgs urged the remaining PC members to stay united during the rebuilding process, stating there was still unfinished work to "fix the province." He later indicated it was "extremely unlikely" he would continue as party leader.

Five PC cabinet ministers also lost their seats: Jill Green (Fredericton North), Greg Turner (Moncton South), Ted Flemming (Rothesay), Ernie Steeves (Moncton Northwest), and Réjean Savoie (Miramichi Bay-Neguac).

In his speech from Fredericton, Coon acknowledged the defeat of Kevin Arseneau to Liberal candidate Pat Finnigan but vowed to continue building the Green Party. "One thing's for sure," he said, "Blaine Higgs is no longer the premier of this province," drawing applause from the crowd.

Holt’s Vision for the Future

Holt, in her victory speech, emphasized her party's priorities: education, health care, and affordable housing. "We are going to lead with balance," she said, promising fiscal responsibility while investing in essential services.

The Liberals captured 48 per cent of the vote, compared to the PCs' 35 per cent and the Greens' 14 per cent. Voter turnout was about 66 per cent, with 375,506 ballots cast—similar to the 66 per cent turnout in 2020, when 378,169 people voted.

Major Gains in Urban Areas

The Liberals made significant progress in the southern cities of New Brunswick. Saint John saw a 27 per cent increase in Liberal votes, Fredericton 23 per cent, and Moncton 16 per cent.

The Liberals swept most Saint John-area ridings. Former city councillor David Hickey won in Saint John Harbour, and Dr. John Dornan, who had successfully sued the Higgs government for wrongful dismissal, claimed victory in Saint John Portland-Simonds.

Kate Elman Wilcott secured Saint John West-Lancaster, while John Herron, a former federal PC who ran as a Liberal, defeated controversial candidate Faytene Grasseschi in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins.

Glen Savoie was the only PC to retain his seat in the region, holding onto Saint John East.

Record Number of Women Elected

The election marked a new high for female representation in the legislature, with 17 women elected—up from 14 in 2020, 11 in 2018, and just eight in 2014.