Trevor Jones cruises to re-election as MPP in Chatham-Kent-Leamington
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Progressive Conservative Trevor Jones cruised to re-election in Chatham-Kent-Leamington as part of the Tory wave that won a third majority in Thursday’s Ontario election.
The polls had barely closed before Jones was declared the winner after quickly leading by thousands of votes. He finished with 22,250 votes, or 52 per cent, topping the 17,522 he polled in 2022.
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“It’s an absolute privilege. I’m so humbled,” Jones said. “It’s such a tight schedule. We worked hard every day through the cold.
“Hard work pays off,” he added. “In every corner of our riding, (we) talked to thousands and thousands of people (and) heard their concerns.”
Jones faced mostly unknown candidates from outside the riding, including Liberal Bill Kirby (7,856 votes, 18.4 per cent), New Democrat Christian Sachs (7,333, 17.1 per cent), the Green Party’s Matthew Davey (1,241, 2.9 per cent) and Ontario Party candidate Phillip St-Laurent (704, 1.6 per cent).
The lone challenger from the 2022 election was New Blue Party candidate Rhonda Jubenville, a Chatham-Kent councillor. She finished fourth with 3,387 votes, or 7.9 per cent.
“Obviously, we’re disappointed that we didn’t win, but it’s always hard to unseat an incumbent,” Kirby said.
Sachs was optimistic, but also “a realist,” she said.
“The reality is this has been a Conservative riding,” she added.
The Tories campaigned heavily on defending Ontario from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and Jones said it was a top issue with local voters.
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“There’s a genuine fear for jobs. And people’s children’s jobs,” he said. “It was like, ‘What’s going to happen to our economy?’ ”
Agribusiness and the automotive sector are particularly at risk in the riding, Jones said.
One constituent told him if tariffs go through, 500 employees at his company would be out of work in 30 days. Jones said, rising to 900 employees in 90 days.
“That left me with an impression,” Jones said. “That makes your heart sink. And keeps you motivated.”
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tterfloth@postmedia.com
Chatham-Kent–Leamington results
(With 89 of 89 polls reporting)
Trevor Jones, PC* – 22,250
Bill Kirby, Liberal – 7,856
Christian Sachs, NDP – 7,333
Rhonda Jubenville, New Blue – 3,387
Matthew Davey, Green – 1,241
Phillip St-Laurent, Ontario Party – 704
*Indicates MPP in last legislature
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