Ben Levitt named Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas PC candidate ... again

The last time Ben Levitt won the Ontario PC nomination for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, it didn't look like this.

I definitely believe I have the mandate to be the candidate now.- Ben Levitt

All evening Tuesday, people got into orderly lines, speaking in quiet voices as they stepped to the tables and voted 736for Levitt, 195for Vincent Samuel. That meant Levitt was once again named the new riding'sPC candidate for the June 7 election.

Last May, cars lined up down the road. People clutched their ID, trying for three hours to vote. It was so disorganized that it prompted a police investigation. Last month, the party decided tohold a meeting all over again.

Tuesday was"much better run. A better location," Levitt said after his victory at the Ancasterfairgrounds. "I'm very blessed that the people of the riding have spoken once again, and I'm the candidate again, and I'm looking forward to getting going."

Levitt's repeat victory is a decisive chapter in the riding's tumultuous nomination process.

Levitt, 26, a staffer in the office ofFlamborough-GlanbrookMP David Sweet, was named the victor last May 4, but two challengers VikramSingh and Jeff Peller alleged that party officials tampered with the vote.

The dispute involved months of legal challenges, secret recordings and theongoing criminal investigation. In March,with Doug Ford established as thenew leader, the party "set aside" the nomination.

Rich Gelderof Dundas, who voted both times, says this year and last yearwere so different they were "night and day."

Last May, the vote was at Ancaster High School. Gelder says traffic on Jerseyville Road was backed up so badly that he got out of the car and walked to the high school.

"Inside AncasterHigh School itself, the lineup snaked around," he said."It took me 45 minutes to get to the front of the line to vote."

On Tuesday, it took attendees about 10 minutes.

Singh, who claimed in court to be last year'srightful winner, was a quiet presence Tuesday. He wove through the crowd and talkedto people he'd met on the 2017 campaign trail. Singh wanted to run again but the party's nomination committee rejected that.

The Dundaslawyer spent his own money fighting in court for a judicial review. He eventually dropped the pricey court case, issuing a statement saying the party could choose whomever it wanted as a nominee. The recording between himself and party brass never became public.

"Irrespective of what the result is for me personally, [I'm here]to maintain a loyalty to Hamilton and to continueparticipating and volunteering," he said Tuesday.

"I'm hoping that the voters choose with their conscience, and I hope the rightcandidate wins."

Levitt, who will run against incumbent LiberalMPPTedMcMeekinandNDPcandidate Sandy Shaw,says this win should clear the air.

"I definitely believe I have the mandate to be the candidate now, and I'mlooking forward to June7 when the real battle begins."