A crowd of more than 200 filled the Cambrian College student centre with chants of "West is best" after Jamie West won the NDP nomination on June 26.
The Sudbury District and Labour Council president beat out fellow candidate Beth Mairs on the second ballot, after Carol Mulligan was dropped from the running after the first ballot.
"I want to thank everyone who supported me throughout this campaign," said Mulligan after it was announced that she had been dropped out of the running. "I will be putting my support behind Jamie West and that's who I would vote for."
Whether it was Mulligan's words of support or the general consensus of the crowd beforehand, West did come out the victor and will step into the race to be Sudbury's next MPP when Ontarians hit the polls for the 42nd Ontario general election on June 7, 2018.
Mairs thanked her supporters as well, and like Mulligan, announced that she is fully in West's corner.
"I will put my full support behind Jamie and I look forward to hitting the ground running with him and helping him to make Sudbury orange again," said Mairs.
West has been on the labour council's executive since 2010, having gotten involved with the organization during USW Local 6500's year-long strike against Vale.
A smelter flash furnace operator by trade, he was an activist during the labour dispute, working with a group called Building Power, which organized protests and communication with the union's membership.
West was gracious in victory, congratulating both Mairs and Mulligan on their campaigns.
"I had a lot of fun campaigning with you guys, sharing stories and laughs, and it really shows what our party is all about," said West. "I'm excited for what's ahead and to help lead our party to take out Glenn Thibeault and take Sudbury back to the orange."
A total of 241 voters registered for Monday night's nomination, and none of the three candidates managed to wrestle 50 per cent of the vote on the first ballot, resulting in a head to head vote between Mairs and West.
As far as his plans moving forward, West says that it's time to give Sudbury a stronger voice at Queen's Park, namely with respect to the sale of Hydro One.
"Sudbury hasn't been well represented at Queen's Park, I certainly feel that hyrdo rates and the sale of Hydro One are not being talked about enough," said West.
"Our party is the only one that has a plan and wants to bring Hydro One back to the public."
Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas was on hand to congratulate West and is excited to begin working alongside him on the campaign trail.
"Jamie will make a fantastic candidate, all three of the nominees tonight were great and Jamie did a ton of work campaigning and he will be a great candidate for Greater Sudbury," said Gélinas.
West wasn't shy in his praise of Gélinas and says he will be looking to her as a guide of sorts along the campaign trail.
"France is one of my role models and I've followed her career for a long time," said West.
"I think any MPP would agree that she is one of the hardest working MPPs out there and I'm looking forward to working alongside her."
