Did People’s Party candidates in Niagara steal wins away from Conservatives?

Did People’s Party of Canada candidates in Niagara Centre and St Catharines deny Conservative candidates a shot at landing in Ottawa last night?

With the People’s Party representing the far right and the Conservatives being the party of the slightly more moderate right, did the two Tory candidates in the ridings see just enough votes siphoned away by the PPC to land them in second place?

The numbers game says yes, that is precisely what happened.

With nearly 57,000 votes cast in Niagara Centre, People’s Party candidate Michael Kimmons final tally of 4,585 votes seems like a drop in the bucket – just eight per cent of the votes.

However, with Conservative Graham Speck and Liberal Vance Badawey battling all night before Badawey finally emerged victorious, it’s pretty clear that Speck could have used those votes. Even half of Kimmons’ votes would have handily pushed Speck past Badawey.

Pretty much the same scenario in St Catharines last night. Liberal incumbent Chris Bittle held onto his seat with 20,588 votes to Conservative Krystina Waler’s total of 17,871 – a comfy margin of nearly 3,000 votes in a riding that saw 55,000 votes cast.

However, PPC candidate Rebecca Hahn managed to collect 3,759 votes, only enough for fourth place but more than enough to propel Waler on top.

In the other two ridings – Niagara Falls and Niagara West – it mattered little how many votes the PPC received as Conservative candidates and incumbents Tony Baldinelli and Dean Allison breezed to easy victories.