The Conservative Party was able to make small gains in Atlantic Canada, but failed to unseat many prominent Liberals in the wake of the sponsorship scandal.
The Conservatives added two seats across the region, one in New Brunswick and one in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Tories were leading or elected in nine ridings, up from the seven they took in 2004.
The Liberals lead or were elected in 20 ridings, the Tories nine, and the NDP three, according to early polls.
The popular vote in the region changed only slightly, with Liberal retaining just under 40 per cent of votes cast, down roughly 4 per cent from 2004. The Tories gained slightly more than 4 per cent, seizing nearly 35 per cent of the vote. The NDP remained steady with 22 per cent of the vote and held the three seats it won in 2004.
Liberal cabinet minister Scott Brison fought off a tough Conservative challenge in Nova Scotia.
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The Tories had been campaigning aggressively across the region, hoping to oust as many beleaguered Liberal incumbents in the region as possible. But despite their best effort, the Tories could not grab any of the four ridings in Prince Edward Island, a long-time Liberal stronghold. The four PEI Liberal incumbents lead or were elected with more than 50 per cent of the vote.
However, the Liberals did lose a seat in Newfoundland and Labrador, with Fabian Manning taking the riding of Avalon, previously held by John Efford, the former Minister of Natural Resources who withdrew from the race due of health reasons prior to the election. The Liberals now hold four of the seven riding in the province. The Tories hold the other three.
Despite New Brunswick's Conservative premier Bernard Lord pounding the pavement on behalf of his federal counterparts throughout the campaign, the Tories failed to make gains in that province. The Conservatives had hoped to improve on their two seats in the 10-riding province. While campaigning in the region, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper tried to sell Maritimers on his defence policies, arguing they would create a stronger military presence in the region. He also talked about the importance of giving the Atlantic provinces more control over oil and gas revenues and said he will fight for their fisheries.
The Conservatives aggressively campaigned in four New Brunswick ridings, hoping to unseat the Liberal incumbents. Early polls showed the Tories only took one of those ridings. Conservative candidate Mike Allen took a very close win in the Tobique-Mactaquac riding.
Liberal cabinet member Andy Scott won a decisive victory in his Fredericton riding.
Nova Scotia's 2004 incumbents held their seats with the Liberals claiming six of the 11 ridings. The Tories took three that year, and the NDP two.
Both Public Works minister Scott Brison, who defected from the Tories in 2003, and Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Geoff Regan faced a tough race, but managed to hold their seats with decisive victories.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health Robert Thibault fought a tough race in his West Nova riding. Early polls showed he won the riding.
