ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Paul Davis faces a major test as Newfoundland and Labrador premier with three byelections scheduled this month, the first in a Progressive Conservative stronghold.
Voters will cast ballots Wednesday in the district of Conception Bay South, west of St. John's and adjacent to the premier's Topsail district.
"It is right next door and it's an important byelection for us," Davis said Tuesday, a day before his first byelection as the new leader.
"One of the disadvantages if you like, or the challenges, is that I'm still very new to this office. It takes a long time for people to have an opportunity to identify with a new government, a new leader, and see how I'm going to operate."
The Tory government has held majority power since 2003. But it has lost four straight byelections to the Opposition Liberals in the last 16 months, three of them in districts formerly held by senior cabinet ministers.
Conception Bay South was held by former justice minister Terry French, who retired from politics in September. He won the district in a byelection in 2002. He succeeded his father, Bob French, who represented the Tories from 1996 until his death in 2002.
The premier's effort to rebuild party support after a recent slide in the polls is riding on what happens in that district, said former Tory cabinet minister Shawn Skinner.
Success or failure in Conception Bay South (CBS) will set the stage for two more byelections later this month, he said in an interview.
"I think a win in CBS will be helpful to both, and will give us a decent shot at winning both of those. A loss in CBS, I think, will be disastrous. I have to be honest."
Voters will cast ballots Nov. 25 in the Humber East and Trinity-Bay de Verde districts.
Skinner said even with a victory in Conception Bay South, those byelections will be hard fought.
"I would suggest to you that they're going to be tough seats to win."
Humber East and Trinity-Bay de Verde were held by former premier Tom Marshall and former finance minister Charlene Johnson, respectively. Marshall retired from politics while Johnson resigned to be with her husband who works overseas.
Provincial law requires Davis to call a general election within a year of the date he was sworn in as premier on Sept. 26.
Aside from the three vacant seats, there are 29 Progressive Conservative members, 13 Liberals and three NDP members.
