In battle with no incumbent, Guelph remains Liberal red

Lloyd Longfield speaks at a candidates' meeting in Guelph on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015.

One of the most high-profile races in southern Ontario ended with a new MP, but not a new party representing the riding of Guelph.

Lloyd Longfield, a former president of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, was on the ballot for the Liberal Party.

Voters chose him to replace fellow Liberal Frank Valeriote, who opted not to run for a third term.

As of 12:15 a.m., when 192 of 245 polls were reporting, Longfield had 48.9 per cent of the vote.

Running second at the time was former city councillor Gloria Kovach, with 26.7 per cent.

Also in the race were Andrew Seagram of the NDP (11.8 per cent at that point) and Gord Miller, Ontario’s former environment commissioner and a star candidate for the Green Party (11.4 per cent).

Rounding out the candidates were Tristan Dineen of the Communist Party, Alex Fekri of the Libertarians and Kornelis Klevering, who was running for the Marijuana Party.

Guelph and its predecessor riding of Guelph-Wellington have voted for Liberal MPs in every election dating back to 1993.