Progressive Conservative Brian Riddell unseats Karahalios in Cambridge

Brian Riddell speaks to CTV News at his election night party at Amici's Restaurant in Cambridge on June 2, 2022. (Ricardo Veneza/CTV News).

The riding of Cambridge is back in Progressive Conservative hands.

CTV News’ Decision Desk has declared PC candidate Brian Riddell the winner of the riding. The Conestoga College photography professor unseats incumbent Belinda Karahalios of the New Blue Party.

"I'm going to do my best job possible for them," Riddell told CTV News. "And I look forward to a very positive four years."

Karahalios was elected as a Progressive Conservative in 2018, but was expelled from the PC caucus in July of 2020 for voting against Bill 195. The bill extended emergency orders in Ontario, allowing the government to make decisions about COVID-19 relief efforts.

At the time Karahalios called it an “unnecessary overreach.”

She subsequently formed the New Blue Party with her husband.

With all polls reporting, Riddell had 37 per cent of the vote, New Democrat Marjorie Knight had 22.2 per cent, Liberal Surekha Shenoy had 20.7 per cent. Karahalios captured 11.1 per cent of the vote.