We’re off and running in what will probably be one of the most hotly contested swing ridings in the province.
PC candidate Eric DenOuden has been working double time to try and take this riding from the Liberals. Blue lawn signs are popping up all over Belleville. I have not yet seen many for Liberal Leona Dombrowski.
The riding opened up when longtime Liberal incumbent Ernie Parsons decided to retire from politics.
If Mr. Parsons had stayed on, this one would be a foregone conclusion in his favour.
Leona Dombrowski is a sitting MPP who served as Agriculture minister in the current McGuinty government, who has moved over from Lennox and Addington next door. She will be a formidable contestant.
It’s far too soon to pick a winner for this riding, but my feeling is the provincial trend will be what eventually tips the scale, assuming, of course both candidates do the full-court-press until the last day. If it looks like the Liberals will win a majority, Dombrowski will win, if it looks like a minority, it could go either way. On the other hand if the campaign looks like it will produce a Tory Govt., Mr DenOuden will be on his way to Queen’s Park.
A wild card in such a tight race as this is the Family Coalition Party. If, as a result of social conservative dissatisfaction with John Tory, they can get 1000 votes or so, Mr DenOuden might be denied victory.
I think it could be THAT close.

Sept.10th:
last night, Leona Dombrowski painted the town red…. lawn signs started mushrooming here in Belleville.
The NDP’s Jodie Jenkins is also buoyant, saying that people are walking into his office who have never voted NDP before, but are planning to do so this time because they believe he will stand up for what’s right, and not play political games.
This is one of the major swing ridings that will determine the outcome, so stay tuned.

Looks like it’s game over at this point. With the Libs projecting 60 seats with less than 2 weeks remaining, and John Tory doing to the PC Party what he did to the federal Party in 1993, it’ clear that Leona Dombrowsky will win this riding for the Libs with a comfortable plurality.