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Liberal candidate Rex Hillier took a narrow victory in the district of Conception Bay South, west of St. John’s, on Wednesday evening, defeating Tory candidate Barry Petten.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Tory premier has lost his first major test in a byelection, with the defeat of his party's candidate in a Progressive Conservative stronghold.

Liberal candidate Rex Hillier took a narrow victory in the district of Conception Bay South, west of St. John's, on Wednesday evening, defeating Tory candidate Barry Petten.

The NDP's Cameron Mercer-Maillet ran a distant third.

The district is next door to the riding of Paul Davis, who was sworn in as premier on Sept. 26.

The Tory government has now lost five straight byelection to the Opposition Liberals in the last 16 months, four of them in districts held by former cabinet ministers.

With the Liberal win, there are 29 Progressive Conservative members, 14 Liberals, three N-D-P and two vacant seats.

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