One of the few Wildrose MLAs to stay put during the mass legislature floor crossing late last year was returned to office, as voters in Drumheller-Stettler re-elected Rick Strankman on Tuesday during the provincial election.
Strankman had a strong challenge from Progressive Conservatives candidate Jack Hayden, who finished about 2,100 votes behind the incumbent.
With 79 of 79 polls reporting, Strankman took 47.6 per cent of the vote, 7,563 ballots, while Hayden received 5,399 votes, or 33.98 per cent of the vote.
NDP candidate Emily Shannon finished in third in the three-way race with 2,928 votes, or 18.43 per cent.
Strankman was first elected in 2012, defeating PC Hayden.
With a turnout of about 63 per cent, a total of 15,890 votes were cast out of 24,897 electors.