Christy Clark has been given a strong endorsement by voters in Kelowna West.

Clark has won her seat with 14,559 votes to the NDP91裸聊视频檚 Shelley Cook91裸聊视频檚 6,055, the Green91裸聊视频檚 Robert Mellalieu with 3,290 and independent Brian Thiesen with just 525 votes.

It was the culmination of what Clark91裸聊视频檚 campaign told the Capital News was a 91裸聊视频渓ong, hard campaign.91裸聊视频�

. Brad Bennett speaks to winning her Kelowna West riding

91裸聊视频� Kat (@katslepian)

Clark defeated NDP challenger Cook who said she was disappointed with her result but happy the NDP had made some headway on the provincial scene.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 disappointed of course but you know what, the people have spoken,91裸聊视频� said Cook. 91裸聊视频淚 hope we had a great voter turnout. I91裸聊视频檓 excited to see what happens provincially, that was really my goal. I91裸聊视频檓 thrilled with the numbers I91裸聊视频檓 super excited. There was a Liberal narrative around job creation in the campaign and this is something that has worked well for them. Thanks for everyone who voted, it was great to get out in the political ring.91裸聊视频�

. HQ erupts in cheers as is declared winner in Kelowna-West

91裸聊视频� Kat (@katslepian)

Green Party candidate Robert Mellalieu finished third in the race and offered these comments to the Capital News:

The 91裸聊视频 spoke to Christy Clark91裸聊视频檚 campaign manager who said she is relieved at the way the polls are looking.

Harvie Campbell said Clark was in West Kelowna four times in the last three weeks and is very pleased, calling the campaign a long hard grind.

BACGROUND:

The riding of Kelowna West 91裸聊视频� formerly known as Westside Kelowna91裸聊视频� has a population of 59,750 in an area that encompasses a portion of downtown Kelowna, along with the adjacent City of West Kelowna. It also includes a stretch of homes on the west side of Okanagan Lake.

In a by-election called in 2013, Christy Clark was elected with 62 per cent of the vote. Ben Stewart won the 2013 election, but he stepped aside so the premier could run, after losing her own riding.

There91裸聊视频檚 never been an NDP candidate elected to this riding.

Incumbent Liberal candidate Christy Clark was first elected to the legislature in 1996. She was Minister of Education in the Liberal government from 2001 to 2004, but resigned before the 2005 election for family reasons. Upon her return to politics she was elected Liberal party leader in 2011, becoming the province91裸聊视频檚 second female premier.

She leans on the legacy of W.A.C. and Bill Bennett, who were elected locally and served as Premiers.

We would all like to be home in Kelowna a lot more than we get to but that comes with the responsibility of governing the whole province,91裸聊视频� Clark said early in the campaign.

91裸聊视频淭he people of Kelowna understand the premier has a big job to represent everyone from Cranbrook to Fort Nelson to Prince Rupert to Victoria, but my credo has always been to keep the interests of Kelowna in the forefront of my mind all the time.91裸聊视频�

NDP candidate Shelley Cook is PhD candidate in Community, Culture and Global Studies at UBC Okanagan. Currently also leading two research studies on homelessness in Kelowna. She is best known in the region for being the executive director of the local John Howard Society for 11 years.

who pointed out she couldn91裸聊视频檛 run in any other riding because the community is where her heart is.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 wonderful to be in a position where people trust you with their deepest concerns and will just share those things over lemons at the market, at coffee shops and on street corners,91裸聊视频� said Cook. 91裸聊视频淚 see it as a real gift, and I also feel concerned about what I91裸聊视频檓 hearing from people.91裸聊视频�

Along the campaign trail people have told her they want to see changes to their bank balances, in the schools they91裸聊视频檝e enrolled their children in and the places where seniors are turning to as they require more help.

Greens candidate Robert Mellalieu is the owner/operator of a computer support business in West Kelowna. He was born in Chemainus and grew up in Duncan. In the 1980s he moved to Alberta to pursue an education in the high-tech world of computers. After completing his education, Rob accepted a position with ADP to head up the Central Canada Office in Winnipeg. He has served on a number of community associations and boards and has run as a Green Party candidate federally.

noting his solution to combat quagga and zebra mussels would be to stop boat transportation temporarily and consult experts.

Independent candidate Brian Thiesen has a background in business and has worked in several sectors from finance to economics and agriculture and says he has been studying the B.C. political scene for the past six years, to understand the problems the province is facing.

away from party politics, said the entrepreneur.

91裸聊视频淚 think, not just in B.C. but federally, people are tired of going from the orange party to the red party or the blue party to the red because they see it91裸聊视频檚 not making any difference,91裸聊视频� said Thiesen. 91裸聊视频淭hey say one thing and then go back on their promises. It91裸聊视频檚 always the same. Their interest is not in the people, it91裸聊视频檚 in the party and retaining power.91裸聊视频�