VANCOUVER - NDP candidate Mel Lehan went into this election both excited and nervous about the possibility of unseating Premier Gordon Campbell, but as it turns out, Campbell will be the Vancouver-Point Grey MLA for another Liberal majority government.

The NDP maintained a close race throughout. In the end Campbell took the riding with 9,053 votes, 50 per cent of the total share. Lehan won 7,319 votes, 40 per cent of the total share.

Lehan, who was ahead in the polls until roughly 9 p.m. says that he is sad for British Columbia and feels that change should have happened in this election.

“It was actually very close,” Lehan told The Tyee at the B.C. NDP concession party at the Burnaby Hilton.

“At the end of the day it looks like Gordon Campbell has won and I’m really close behind,” he said. “The voters of Point Grey have spoken.”

“I am very glad that I ran,” Lehan added.

Lehan currently has little idea what he will be doing after the election politically, but said he will continue to address issues in the Point Grey riding.

He said there was little he could have done different this campaign. “We worked hard, we put forward a good platform and there is not much more to add to that," said Lehan.

Lehan said the plans for the rest of the night is to "sit with my family and talk with my friends, because that’s just what you do.”

Morgan J. Modjeski reports for The Tyee.