Conservative leader Eric Duhaime loses race in Chauveau, party ends race empty-handed

Despite making momentous gains in the popular vote in his campaign, Conservative Party of Quebec (CPQ) leader Eric Duhaime was unable to win a seat in the Chauveau riding.

He told supporters that he plans to stay on as party leader, calling the last five weeks a "David and Goliath" campaign. 

"I'll need you even more in the next four years," he said to the crowd at the Conservative headquarters, before moving to congratulate his opponents, with a promise to run again next election. "Prepare yourself, because in four years, it will be much tougher."

Duhaime had hoped to pick up the seat from CAQ incumbent Sylvain Levesque, who obtained enough votes to deny him.

Supporters react as they watch the results at the Conservative election night headquarters on Monday, October 3, 2022 in Lac-Delage, Quebec. THE CANADIAN PRESS / Bernard Brault

It was an undoubtedly disappointing night for Conservative candidates who, despite polling at second place in terms of popular support during the campaign, were unable to win a single seat. 

The CAQ also took Beauce-North and Beauce-South, the other two ridings polls suggested could go to the Conservatives.

It's a result Duhaime forecasted well before any ballots were cast. He had previously called it the political "distortion of the century" -- a condemnation renewed again during his closing speech Monday. 

He maintained, however, that the campaign was just phase one of his plans for the party, or as he put it, the first period. 

"Politics is like our national sport, like hockey. There are 3 periods," he said. "The first period ends for us tonight. The first period was to make sure that we became a big party, that we became part of the big league."

"We've done that masterfully."

He also took credit for publicizing his party's desire to expand the private health sector and to develop Quebec hydrocarbon infrastructure.