The NDP’s Lana Popham won a narrow victory over Liberal candidate Robin Adair in Saanich South Tuesday night, with a lead of about 500 votes at 11 p.m.

After the lead flipped back and forth several times, Popham made a victory speech at the Fairmont Empress Crystal Ballroom. “You don’t want to admit that you won until you see those numbers up there but now that I see it, it’s fantastic,” she said. “My team worked so hard.”

Earlier, Adair — whose supporters were gathered at McMorran’s Beach House in Cordova Bay — made a brief statement to the media, but said he was holding off on talking to his supporters. Adair joked he had two speeches in his pocket — he just wasn’t sure which one would come out.

In the end, just after 11 p.m., it was the concession speech that came out.

“It was a very close fight here in Saanich South,” said Adair “and just a very short time ago I had the opportunity to congratulate Lana Popham, the new MLA for Saanich South.”

Adair told the crowd he wishes Popham all the best in the next four years.

Both political novices, Adair, a former television reporter, and Popham, an organic vineyard owner, were vying to fill the seat vacated by incumbent NDP MLA David Cubberley, who announced he was stepping down last year to spend more time with his wife and young son.

The riding has seen close races before. In 2005, Cubberley won the seat from Liberal cabinet minister Susan Brice by 429 votes — a rematch of their 2001 battle.

Boundary changes have cost the NDP a number of favourable polls in the Tillicum-Gorge area, giving the Liberals a slight territorial advantage over 2005.

“It’s always been a tight, tight race in Saanich South and the way that the boundaries were changed it put us at a disadvantage from last time,” Popham said. “But we had a great team and I also knocked on about 6,600 doors, so I think that probably had something to do with it.”

Popham said her priorities as MLA will be environmental issues, education and agriculture. “I’m a farmer, so if I can do something for agriculture, it will be a dream come true.”

Popham and her husband John, a firefighter, own the Barking Dog Vineyard, the first certified organic vineyard on Vancouver Island. Popham, one of only two NDP candidates in the province to receive an endorsement from the Conservation Voters of B.C., campaigned to replace disposable plastic bags with reusable ones. She also tried to help Saanich farmers hit with higher property tax bills

Adair is a well-known former television reporter who served as chairman of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. He also chairs the Camosun College board of governors. Until recently, Adair was vice-president responsible for communications and government relations with WCG International Consultants Ltd, which delivers job training and placement programs for people on welfare.

His wife, Marisa Adair, is one of the most powerful people in the provincial government’s public affairs bureau.

Brian Gordon, who represented the Green party in the race, said before the polls closed that many voters were frustrated because the majority aren’t represented by the party of their choice.

“A lot of people really like the Greens. They’d like to vote Green but they’re afraid the Liberals will get in,” said Gordon. “They’re frustrated with the NDP because of their stand on the carbon tax.

Victoria lawyer Doug Christie ran for the Western Canada Concept Party in the riding. Christie is a Victoria lawyer whose client list has included Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel.

However, Popham, was one of only two NDP candidates in the province to be endorsed by the Conservation Voters of B.C. — the same group that urged voters to throw James out of office in Victoria-Beacon Hill.

Before the polls closed, Gordon said many voters are frustrated because the majority aren’t represented by the party of their choice.

“A lot of people really like the Greens. They’d like to vote Green but they’re afraid the Liberals will get in,” said Gordon. “They’re frustrated with the NDP because of their stand on the carbon tax.”