CAQ wins big in Quebec City region

The Coalition Avenir Qubec has pulled off a major coup in the Quebec City region, taking eight of the 11 ridings on the north shore of the St. Lawrence and all six ridings across the river.

The Liberal Party managed to salvage just a single one of the eight ridings itwon in2014, withSbastienProulx'svictory in Jean-Talon.

"Our call for change is crystallizing," said an ecstatic GeneviveGuilbaultmoments after the star CAQ candidate was declared re-elected in Louis-Hbert, the former Liberal stronghold which she wrestedfrom the governing partyin a2017 byelection afterveteran MNASamHamadquit politics.

Guilbault said the team worked long and hardto present a solid team, andthe overwhelming support for the party in the region reflected that.

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Voters also re-elected ric Caire in La Peltrie, despite the PQattempt to force him step down after he admitted during the campaign having accepted a personal loan from the mayor of L'Ancienne-Lorette.

Cairewas first elected in 2007 under the Action dmocratique du Qubec bannerand ran under the CAQin 2012 after the two parties merged.

"We've been working tirelessly, day after day, to reach this objective," Caire said, pinching himself.

The incumbent junior transport minister, VronyqueTremblay, lost her seat in Chauveauby more than 12,000 votes to the CAQ'sSylvain Lvesque.

In Charlesbourg, another Liberal minister,FranoisBlais, fell to the CAQ. JonatanJulien, a former Quebec City councillor, ended the night more than 10,000 votes ahead of the incumbent employment and labour minister.

South of the St. Lawrence River, in the Chaudire-Appalaches region, it was a sweep for the CAQin all six of the region's ridings.

In Beauce-Nord, Luc Provenalwas re-elected, as were Marc Picardin Chutes-de-la-Chaudireand Franois Paradisin Lvis.

In Beauce-Sud, the CAQ'sSamuel Poulintook nearly 63 per cent of the vote, handily beating Liberal incumbent Paul Busque. The Liberal's Dominique VienlostBellechasseto the CAQ'sStphanieLachance and Isabelle Lecourstrounced the Liberal newcomer in Lotbinire-Frontenac, taking almost 54 per cent of the vote.

QubecSolidairetakes 2

The only ridings in the region that didn't get sweptby the pale blue wave were won by Qubec Solidaire candidates.

Catherine Dorionwon in Taschereau, and Sol Zanettidefeated the Liberals' star candidate, health administrator Gertrude Bourdon, in Jean-Lesage.