29-04-2025
Election 2025: Edmonton Griesbach returns to Conservative fold as Kerry Diotte beats Blake Desjarlais
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Edmonton Griesbach is blue once more as former MP Kerry Diotte defeated the NDP candidate who unseated him four years ago — a body blow in a night of bad news for New Democrats.
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Diotte, the former news reporter, city councillor and mayoral candidate, claimed victory at a gathering at the 97 Street Canadian Brewhouse in the north Edmonton riding. Dozens of supporters cheered as CTV called the race for the Conservatives.
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This time, Desjarlais campaigned on the NDP's dental and pharmacare deals with the Trudeau Liberals, and positioned himself as the only candidate who could stop a Conservative comeback.
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With more than 80 per cent of polls reporting, however, Desjarlais sat at 32 per cent of the vote, with Diotte claiming 46.5. Patrick Lennox, the Liberal, was at 18.9 per cent.
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Diotte thanked his volunteers and said he'd spent two years trying to win the Conservative nomination and convince Griesbach voters to give him another chance.
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'Man, it just feels good to be back,' he said. 'Basically, it was just hard work.'
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2021 rematch
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Desjarlais defeated Diotte in 2021 with 40 per cent of the vote to 36 per cent — a difference of about 1,500 votes. The Liberals finished third with 15 per cent in that race.
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Desjarlais, an Indigenous man then in his late 20s, was seen as a rising star in the party. This time, there were hopes he would be part of a potential part of a NDP power bloc in Edmonton.
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As of 11:00 p.m. on election night, however, only Edmonton's Strathcona's Heather McPherson had retained her seat, with just seven NDPers across the country leading or elected. Twelve seats are required for official party status in Canada.
