L'ARDOISE - Even Amanda Mombourquette was surprised by the width and depth of her victory at the end of her first crack at municipal politics.

The innovation lead at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) Strait Area Campus and former executive director of the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce won every poll in District Four and finished the night with 869 votes as compared to the 284 received by incumbent councillor Gilbert Boucher.

In ending the 12-year council tenure of Boucher, who even lost all three polls in his native River Bourgeois, Mombourquette took 75 per cent of the vote in District Four, which encompasses St. Peter's, River Bourgeois and the surrounding communities. 

"Going into election night, in talking to residents, I probably had an inkling that I had a pretty good chance," Mombourquette told TELILE 24/7 host Adam Cooke two nights after her resounding win. 

"But you're up against an incumbent with a great deal of experience, and it's also the time of a pandemic. So I have to admit that I was surprised by that margin [of victory]. I can't say enough about how grateful I am that the residents have put their trust in me."

Mombourquette's win in District Four proved to be just the beginning for her role in Richmond County's new political landscape. Nine days later, following the official swearing-in of the county's five new councillors at the Richmond Municipal Building in Arichat, Mombourquette was chosen by her fellow councillors as Richmond County's new warden, a post she will hold for the next two years. 

Along with District Four voters, Mombourquette thanked her friends, family and campaign workers for helping her get the word out during her first electoral campaign. She also praised the team of advisors that she had assembled in the early stages of her campaign, and an "online cohort" of fellow female leaders that encouraged her throughout her run.

"It was a little bit humbling, because I'm surrounding myself with all of these people who are way smarter than me, and they had complete faith in me, so it was kind of a special thing for me to be realizing," Mombourquette beamed. 

The new Richmond County Warden also singled out her husband and "campaign manager extraordinaire" Floyd Mombourquette for special praise, noting that his legwork was critical when Post-Tropical Storm Teddy blasted through the Maritimes in late September. 

"He was putting up signs, and then taking down signs [prior to Teddy's arrival] and then putting up signs again," Mombourquette laughed. "I can't thank him enough. I couldn't possibly do this without him."