Listen to this article
Estimated 3 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
For Éric Duhaime, the fourth time was indeed the charm.
The leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec has won the National Assembly seat in the Bellechasse riding, CBC News projects, making him an MNA for the first time in his political career.
The Bellechasse riding is located in the Chaudière-Appalaches region.
Duhaime’s victory is part of a historic night for the Quebec Conservatives. Monday marked the first time in nearly 91 years that candidates from the party were elected to the National Assembly.
As of early Tuesday morning, the party was projected to win a total of 19 seats.
“Tonight, hope has returned to Quebec,” Duhaime said in a speech to his supporters late Monday night. “We have just written a page in history tonight.”
Prior to Monday’s result, his party had a single seat at the National Assembly. It was held by Maïté Blanchette Vézina who joined the Quebec Conservatives after leaving the CAQ.
Duhaime’s winding road to National Assembly
This was Duhaime’s third attempt at winning a seat in the legislature since becoming the party’s leader — and his fourth attempt overall.
In 2003, he unsuccessfully ran as a candidate for the now-defunct Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) party in the Deux-Montagnes riding, northwest of Montreal.
In the 2022 provincial election, after becoming the leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec, he came in second in the Chauveau riding, with the Coalition Avenir Québec’s Sylvain Lévesque winning the seat by about 6,400 votes.
With Duhaime now headed to the National Assembly, he is looking to bring many right-wing Conservative ideas to the forefront. (Karoline Boucher/The Canadian Press)
Duhaime tried again when he ran as a candidate in the 2025 byelection in the riding of Arthabaska (now known as Arthabaska-L’Érable). He finished second behind the Parti Québécois’s Alex Boissonneault.
The margin in that race was about 4,200 votes.
Duhaime, a former radio host, won the party leadership in 2021 with almost 96 per cent of the vote, succeeding Adrien D. Pouliot.
During his speech Monday night, Duhaime told an elated crowd that when he took over the party leadership, it had very little support.
Looking back, his first event attracted only one supporter, he said with a laugh.
“But I didn’t give up,” he said.
In the 2022 provincial election, under the leadership of Duhaime, the Quebec Conservatives received 12 per cent of the votes — a percentage that did not translate into any National Assembly seats, however.
Back in 2018, the PCQ received under two per cent of the vote.
WATCH | Duhaime celebrates Bellechasse riding victory:
Quebec Conservative Leader Éric Duhaime projected to win seat in Bellechasse riding
This was Duhaime’s third attempt to win a seat in the National Assembly with the Conservatives. During this provincial election, Duhaime focused his party’s campaign around Quebec City and Chaudière-Appalaches regions.2026 campaign focused on tax cuts, economy
Duhaime ran this year’s campaign advocating for change and opposing a referendum.
He focused on the cost of living, and regularly highlighted how Quebecers are struggling to make ends meet.
The first few days of the Conservative campaign were spent in the 418 areas in and around Quebec City and the Chaudière-Appalaches regions, announcing various tax-cut measures.
With Duhaime now headed to the National Assembly, he is looking to bring many right-wing Conservative ideas to the forefront.
Duhaime has said he will work with all parties, but would not make any concessions on the topic of a referendum.