Prominent Liberals lose seats as Tories make gains

A number of high-profile Liberals were ousted fromtheir ridings in Tuesday's provincial electionas Nova Scotia was poised to electa majority Progressive Conservative government.

Randy Delorey, who ran unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Liberal Party earlier this year, lost in theriding of Antigonish to Progressive Conservative Michelle Thompson.

First elected in 2013, Deloreytook on the environment and finance portfolios duringthe Liberals' first mandate under Stephen McNeil. He mostrecently served as minister of justice.

But his most prominent role was as health minister whenNova Scotia faced the first wave of COVID-19.

Thompson, a registered nurse of 29 years, is the CEO of a nursing home and teaches nursing part time.

"I was lucky enough to be able to speak to over 3,000 constituents and health care was the key issue on the doorstep. And certainly I was able to connect with people with my experience," she toldCBC's Information Morning Halifax.

Thompson said dedicated people work in long-term care but the sector needs more support, so investing in staffing and increasing the number of beds are priorities.

In the riding of Guysborough-Tracadie, Liberal cabinet minister Lloyd Hines lost the seat he's held since 2013 to the PC's Greg Morrow. Hines most recently served as transportation minister.

Morrow attributed thewin to his relentless effortsto speak with as many people as possible in the province's largestriding geographically.

"We really made an effort to get to every corner of the riding. We worked hard to get all the back roads and side roads," Morrow said in a phone interview from his home in Tracadie, where he was celebrating withmembers of his family andcampaign team.

"Sometimes in elections they say you don't really win an electionthe incumbent loses. But I just feel like that's a disservice to the amount of work that the team here put in."

The Progressive Conservatives also took the riding of Lunenburg, which has been held byLiberal cabinet ministerSuzanne Lohnes-Croftsince 2013. She was unseatedby Susan Corkum-Greek of the Tories.

Lohnes-Croft most recentlyserved as minister of communities, culture and heritage and minister of Gaelic affairs.

Kevin Murphy also lost his seat in Eastern Shore to Kent Smith of the Progressive Conservatives. Murphy, the Speaker of the House, has held that seat since 2013.