Kiama MP Gareth Ward was nervous on Saturday afternoon.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
With less than an hour to go before polling booths closed, the incumbent believed his state election tussle with Labor candidate Glenn Kolomeitz was "a lot closer than a lot of people thought".
Analysts had dubbed the seat "one to watch" - and watch Mr Ward did as the count began.
A huge swing in his favour at Gerringong and a win at the Albion Park Public School booth soon turned his mood around.
The numbers were all the proof needed to confirm he had fought off a spirited campaign from Mr Kolomeitz, who conceded on election night.
The battle was hard-fought at booths around Albion Park, where the Baird government's $550 million Albion Park Rail bypass promise failed to sway voters.
Looking at initial numbers, Mr Kolomeitz out-polled Mr Ward at Albion Park High School, Albion Park Rail Public and Mount Terry Public School in Albion Park.
Just 12 votes separated the pair at Albion Park Public School, but Mr Ward scored the win.
Mr Ward had an estimated 10 per cent primary vote swing.
"The Kiama seat is not a seat that any party can ever take for granted and I certainly have not and will never take my electorate for granted, because it is a seat that looks at the issues," Mr Ward said.
"If there is one lesson the Labor Party must learn from this campaign is that a campaign of deceit, lies, fear and intimidation will not work and people will not be swung by fear, they will look at facts.
"In my seat we've got a very intelligent constituency and they saw straight through it."
Mr Ward admitted that he also had concerns about the Baird government being beaten.
"We were going to this election with a very ambitious reform and I was worried ... if we lost government, no government would ever try a reformist agenda ever again.
"I want governments ... that talk about the things that will change the state, not simply mowing the lawns and keeping the lights on.
"We need a government that's going to make a real difference to people's lives."
andrew.pearson@fairfaxmedia.com.au