New BrunswickMLA-elect Kevin Russell says it was an honour to win Miramichi West for the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives on Monday.Residents highlight health-care, roads, affordability as key issues they want addressedSam Farley · CBC News · Posted: Oct 07, 2025 4:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoKevin Russell won the Miramichi West byelection for the Progressive Conservatives on Monday night. (Hope Edmond/CBC)MLA-elect Kevin Russell says it was an honour to win Miramichi West for the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives on Monday.Russell, the former mayor of Miramichi River Valley, defeated Liberal candidate Hannah Fulton Johnston by nearly 1,000 votes to win the sprawling riding that includes Doaktown, Boiestown, Blackville, Renous and Sunny Corner.”It’s all about helping people, all my life,” Russell said when asked why he had put his name forward. “This opportunity came up, when I was asked and I looked into it and I said, ‘Well, gee, you know, maybe I can help people with a lot of things that they need help with.'”Russell said the biggest concerns he heard from residents were “anything from health care to housing to jobs to roads.”WATCH | Russell says it’s time for politicians to work together:After months with no MLA, Miramichi-area residents react to a PC winProgressive Conservative candidate and former Blackville mayor Kevin Russell won Monday’s Miramichi West byelection and will be the region’s next MLA. He earned almost 1,000 votes more than the runner-up Liberal candidate, Hannah Fulton Johnston. He added: “There’s people out there that’s waiting eight months for a doctor’s appointment — and in this day and age, that shouldn’t be happening.”Russell said he had put about 9,000 kilometres on his vehicle driving around campaigning over the last six weeks, getting to speak with residents. “A lot of them have some different concerns from a different level and we’ll address each and every one of them.”From health care to bad roadsThe day after the election, voters in the riding were asked to share their concerns with a CBC News team.In Blackville, Joy Walls said grocery store prices and health care were top of mind. “I have great faith in the health system and I’m hoping they will help to make it even better,” she said. Alvin Harris said he wants more attention paid to road conditions. “It’s quite hazardous there,” he said of a particular blind spot at a stop sign in Renous that he wants addressed. “The shoulders of the road are all in pieces. Big holes everywhere.”Blackville resident Alvin Harris said he wanted attention paid to fixing problems with the roads. (Victoria Walton/CBC)Up the road in Doaktown, Gilbert Thibodeau said it was disappointing not to have had an MLA in place for the past several months. While disappointed with the election result, he said he did his part by voting.He pointed to the lack of access to health care as a major concern.”I don’t have a doctor. I never had a doctor for a while,” he said. “I just don’t understand why we can’t get them here. Are they even trying?”Kim Demerchant, who said she felt the health-care system was going “downhill,” hadn’t been too concerned about the lack of an MLA for the last six months.”Hopefully, like I said, better health-care system and maybe they put the minimum wage up some more. That would help a lot.”With files from Hope Edmond and Victoria Walton
Progressive Conservative winner in Miramichi West ready to get to work in Fredericton
