‘The Mathyssen dynasty is over’: NDP incumbent a casualty as London goes blue and red

A long-time orange riding went blue, while the rest of the Forest City seats held steady. CTV London's Bryan Bicknell reports.

The city of London has lost its orange hue, as an NDP strong hold turns blue and a pair of ridings stay Liberal red.

Liberal Peter Fragiskatos handily won a third term in the newly configured riding of London Centre. He told CTV News that in the expected minority Liberal government, the party will have to reach across the aisle in cooperation.

“We will have to work with parties on a case-by-case basis. I have a lot of experience in minority parliaments. I’ve already served in two. And this was the will of the people. The people are never wrong. I think we’ll have to approach this moment with enormous humility,” said Fragiskatos.

His Liberal colleague Arielle Kayabaga was also re-elected to her seat in London West. She said she’ll fight for concerns raised by voters.

“When you talk about tariffs on automotive and manufacturing sectors, these are things that are really important for London West and for southwestern Ontario corridor altogether. But also, things like affordability, and making sure that people can have a safe and good place to live,” she said.

In Elgin-St. Thomas-London South, Conservative Andrew Lawton cruised to victory in spite of coming under fire for past comments on controversial issues.

“A lot of people are not plugged in,” he commented. “They don’t follow the news every day, they don’t follow politics. But when you show up at the door and say, ‘What matters to you?’ they have an answer. And these are the people that oftentimes don’t even know whether their issue is with the provincial government, the federal government, the municipal government. But they know that something’s not working.”

The big upset of the night in London was the third-place finish of two-term New Democrat MP Lindsay Mathyssen in London Fanshawe. The loss brings an end to nearly two decades of NDP representation in the riding.

Mathyssen had replaced her mother, Irene Mathyssen, who occupied the seat before her.

It was political newcomer, Conservative Kurt Holman, who broke the NDP stronghold.

“The Mathyssen dynasty is over,” he declared. “So, people wanted to move away from NDP because they felt they weren’t, the feedback I was getting at the door was that they weren’t being represented in Ottawa. One of the issues that I heard constantly, pretty much for the last year, is obviously cost of living.”

In the meantime, Conservative Lianne Rood won a third term in the newly redrawn riding of Middlesex-London, formerly Lambton-Kent-Middlesex.

“I heard about the increase in crime here in London, the increase in drug use, the homeless encampments, homelessness, affordability. It’s all top of mind when we’re at the doors here. And I just want the residents of Middlesex-London to know that I will be fighting in Ottawa, I will be that strong voice for them in Ottawa,” she exclaimed.