Voters in Newfoundland and Labrador showed they were in the mood for a big change on Tuesday by ousting the governing Liberals after 10 years in power.

As the ballots were counted at the conclusion of the autumn election campaign, the Progressive Conservatives led by Tony Wakeham edged into a small lead after a nail-biting, see-saw battle, and then pulled ahead of John Hogan’s Liberals for the win.

Almost three hours after the polls closed, the Tories were leading or elected in 21 ridings, with the Liberals leading or elected in 15. A total of 21 seats is needed for a majority in the 40-seat house. The New Democrats won two seats; two Independents were also elected.

Wakeham won over voters by consistently criticizing Hogan’s decision to endorse a proposed multibillion-dollar energy deal with Quebec, saying the draft agreement just wasn’t good enough. The former health-care bureaucrat pledged to have the tentative agreement reviewed by an independent third party, pointing to lessons learned from the province’s previous energy project failures.

But Wakeham also spent much of the campaign focusing on pocketbook issues, repeatedly asking voters whether they were better off under the Liberals, who were seeking a fourth consecutive term in office.

The Tory win reflects a trend that started in the spring, when the federal Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre won three rural seats in Newfoundland – a gain of two seats – despite the federal Liberal win under Prime Minister Mark Carney.