Thread by @FredDeLorey

1/ So @TimHoustonNS just made history, becoming the first Nova Scotia premier in nearly half a century to increase his majority in a second term.

Here's how he did it. 🧵

2/ First, let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a win; it was a landslide. At a time when incumbents worldwide are losing ground, @TimHoustonNS’s @nspc picked up seats.

3/ This wasn’t the first time @TimHoustonNS defied global trends. In 2021, he was the only opposition leader in Canada to unseat an incumbent during the COVID era.

4/ Back then, voters overwhelmingly supported incumbent governments mid-pandemic. Yet, Houston’s PCs picked up 14 seats and defeated the governing Liberals. A rare feat.

5/ Now in 2024, with inflation and high interest rates favouring opposition parties, @TimHoustonNS bucked the trend again and increased his share of the vote and seats.

6/ The PCs' priorities—lower taxes, more doctors, and higher wages—spoke directly to voters. Houston promised action and delivered results.

7/ He also stood up to Ottawa, defending Nova Scotians against @JustinTrudeau's policies like the carbon tax. That clarity and focus resonated.

8/ The Liberals, still reeling from 2021, stumbled again. Their slogan, “A Better Deal,” accidentally reinforced Houston’s strong leadership. NSians knew that if anyone could get a better deal with Ottawa, it was Houston.

9/ The NDP will become Official Opposition, but their rise was more about Liberal collapse than a groundswell of NDP support.

10/ @TimHoustonNS’s victory is a reminder that authenticity and action matter in politics. He’s shown that incumbents, when they focus on the right issues, can still make it happen.