10.10PM UPDATEPrimary votesLee Evans (LIB): 46.9%Paul McLeay (ALP): 22.6%Phil Smith (GRN): 15.7%Greg Petty (IND): 8.5%(With more than 70% of votes counted)9.25PM UPDATEThe wife of Liberal Heathcote MP-elect Lee Evans has spoken of her husband’s lifelong dream to become a politician.Gayle Evans said her husband had worked incredibly hard to achieve the result. ‘‘He always had a goal to be in state politics,’’ she said. ‘‘He’s been campaigning for the last 12 years for today, really.’’Mrs Evans said the family would enjoy a sleep-in on Sunday - the first in many months - before having a barbecue at their Loftus home. 8.44PM UPDATELiberal candidate Lee Evans has declared victory in Heathcote.Mr Evans walked into the Sutherland United Services Club to a hero’s welcome at 7.30pm. The 49-year-old Loftus resident is expected to win the seat comfortably.It’s third time lucky for Evans after a failed bid in Keira in 2003 and Heathcote in 2007. ‘‘It was tenacity that made me come back for a third time,’’ Mr Evans said.‘‘I’m honoured the people of Heathcote have given me this opportunity.’’More than 200 Liberal Party faithful turned out to celebrate Mr Evans’ victory. Results flashed across TV screens and were met with thunderous applause.Sitting MP Paul McLeay, who resigned from the post as Minister for the Illawarra in September after he admitted accessing gambling and adult sites on his government-issued computer, languished during the night, at times struggling to attract more primary votes than Greens candidate Phil Smith.