Libs will be hard to beat

Monday’s byelection in the riding of South Surrey-White Rock — one of four in Canada — went to the federal Liberals.

Political pundits don’t need to analzye this one ... Liberal Gordie Hogg won a popularity contest.

Hogg, 71, is a former probations officer and a life-long resident of the area. He served on White Rock’s city council for 20 years, his last 10 as mayor. He was the Liberal MLA for the provincial riding of South Surrey-White Rock from 1997 until this past spring, when he chose not seek re-election.

The byelection was triggered by Conservative MP Dianne Watt’s decision to seek the leadership of the BC Liberals.

Voter turnout, as it is in most byelections, was low. Hogg benefitted from two visits during the campaign by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau which created an instant buzz. Trudeau’s picture was used prominently.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer also paid a visit but lacked the same hype and excitement as Trudeau did.

Hogg also put social media to good use and by all reports, his team ran a good campaign. He was endorsed on Facebook by prominent community leaders.

Unofficially, Hogg won with 47.5 per cent of the vote, well ahead of Conservative Kerry-Lynne Findlay, a one-term MP from Delta and former cabinet minister in Stephen Harper’s government, who was defeated in 2015.

The win is significant for the Liberals because the riding (which changed boundaries at different times over the years) was long-time Conservative.

Perhaps more telling was the performance of the NDP. Challenger Jonathan Silveria received only 200 votes more than the Green candidate.

In all six byelections since Jagmeet Singh took the helm of the NDP in early October, the party has seen its share of the vote decline.

Elsewhere in Canada, the other byelections went the way they were supposed to. The Conservatives held on to a “safe seat” in Saskatchewan, the Liberals in Newfoundland and Toronto.

So what does this mean nationally and in B.C.? Trudeau will be hard to beat.

In the case of South Surrey - White Rock, while most people vote for the party and its leader, this is one of the exceptions where voters actually went with the local candidate.