PC Party will 'fight another day', says Paul Davis

Paul Davis addressed PC supporters with a tone of optimism Monday night, despite his party being voted out of government in the Newfoundland and Labrador provincial election.

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"Tonight I acknowledge that the people of the province have made their choice, and the will of the people is always paramount," Davis said from the podium after concedingto Dwight Ball's Liberals.

"I ask you to join me in congratulatingnot only the Liberals, but also Earle McCurdy and his New Democratic team for a healthy campaign. It's a tremendous thingto step forward and serve your province."

Even with his party's loss,Paul Davis managed to hang on to his own district ofTopsail-Paradise, despiterecent polls that showed he was trailing behind Liberal RexHillier.

Davis said, as an oppositionMHA, he wants to make sure the PCs areready to challenge the Liberals when the next election rolls around four years from now.

"I will lead our steps to rebuild our great party," he said.

"2019 may seem a long way away, but we will be ready to fight another day, and we will be ready to fight another election."

'12 good years'

Following the party'slossMonday, former PC finance chairTommy Williamswho is also brother of former premier Danny Williams said the results may be hard to swallowbut didn't surprise him.

"I guess I'd be less than honest if I didn't say I was disappointed," he told CBC's Carolyn Stokes after the Liberals were projected as winners.

"It's been 12 good years, but the polls have indicated that this was the direction we were headed in but the people of the province have spoken."

Williams said the party has increasingly felt change was coming over the last few years, with the PCs losing a series of byelections and seeing high profile Tories cross the floor to the Liberals.

He said despite the Liberals overwhelming win, he thinks the new governmentwill have their hands full when it comes to actually running the province.

"It's going to be interesting. It's kind of like the dog that caught the car," he said. "Now what are they going to do?"