Liberal incumbents Albina Guarnieri and Navdeep Bains have been declared winners in their bid for re-election tonight, but races in some of Mississauga's other ridings are too close to call.
Guarnieri will extend her domination of the riding of Mississauga East-Cooksville which she first won in 1988. At the time when she was the only representative of her party in Mississauga. Since then, Liberals have won every contest.
Guarnieri took an early lead and was declared a victor by several media outlets at about 10:15 p.m. She wasn't so sure herself, however, and was waiting for confirmation before heading to her victory party at the Texas Long Horn restaurant.
"This wasn't a 36-day campaign, it was a 20-year campaign," said Guarnieri. "I'm certainly pleased my voters have endorsed my efforts over two decades."
Bains, the popular MP rated as one of the strongest members of the Liberal caucus, waltzed to another win in the riding he has represented since it was created. He had a comfortable 1000-vote lead by 10:30 p.m.
"I joined politics because I love my country. My father came here with only $5 dollars," Bains told supporters after his win. "This country allowed my family and me to reach our full potential and gave me immense opportunity to succeed, so my family and I are indebted to this country. I will work day and night to serve the residents of this country and my riding." A third riding expected to be a cakewalk in the city - Bramalea-Gore-Malton - was a lot closer than expected.
Incumbent Gurbax Malhi trailed in the early going but the race was getting closer and closer as more results came in.
In Mississauga-Streetsville, Bonnie Crombie was declared elected by CBC about 10:40 p.m. when she took a 1,000-vote lead over Conservative Wajid Khan.
The other two races - Mississauga South and Mississauga-Erindale - were neck and neck as Paul Szabo tried to fight off a bid from Conservative Hugh Arrison and Tory Bob Dechert tried to make it three times lucky against Liberal incumbent Omar Alghabra.
