Sask. United's expected momentum fails to yield any seats

A Saskatchewan United Party cap can be seen in this file photo. (David Prisciak/CTV News)

A Saskatchewan United Party breakthrough was a concern for the incumbent Sask. Party throughout the election campaign. However, based on the results of election night, the perceived threat turned out be not as serious this time around.

Sask. United ran a total of 31 candidates across the province. Not one finished higher than third place in their constituency.

A total of 27 candidates from the fledging party came in third in their respective races, while the remaining four candidates came in fourth place or lower.

Sask., United Leader Jon Hromek had high hopes in his second attempt to secure a seat in Lumsden-Morse, following the 2023 Regina area by-elections.

Even with his distant third finish, just under 700 votes behind the NDP and nearly 2,300 behind the Sask. Party incumbent, Hromek remain optimistic about the future of his organization.

“We have changed this province. We saw it with Bill 137 and we saw it through this campaign with Scott Moe moving on safe female spaces,” Hromek said, addressing supporters in Lumsden.

“That was ours. Everyone knows that.”

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Of all the party’s candidates, Hromek did the best, capturing 16 per cent of the vote.

Perhaps the party’s biggest upset of the night was in Saskatchewan Rivers. Incumbent Nadine Wilson was seeking to win her seat under her new banner of Sask. United and was handily defeated by the Sask. Party’s Eric Schmalz.

Wilson captured just 11 per cent of the vote, well behind the NDP’s Doug Racine (27.7 per cent) and Schmalz (53.8 per cent).

Wilson had held Saskatchewan Rivers as a Sask. Party MLA for four consecutive elections, 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2020. She split from the party in 2021 and became the leader of Sask. United in 2022, before handing the reigns over to Hromek in the spring of 2024.

Two former Sask. Party MLAs who threw their hats into the ring for Sask. United also failed to breakthrough.

Greg Brkich (Saskatoon Southeast) and Denis Allchurch (Meadow Lake) managed to capture just 2.4 per cent and 4.6 per cent in their races, respectively.

Despite the results, Hromek was defiant in his comments on election night.

“What we stand for is worth fighting for. So don't ever let anyone convince you otherwise,” he told supporters.

“We ran a great race. We put everything we had into it. We didn't compromise on our values and we didn't compromise on our principles and we'll always have that.”

Two races remain too close to call on Tuesday. The Sask. Party will go back to the legislature with at least 33 seats to the NDP's 26.