Read and watch coverage from CBC.ca of the BC NDP’s sweep of two Lower Mainland byelections this week. (April 19, 2012)

Vote-splitting in one riding and a popular candidate in the other gave the B.C. NDP two big byelection victories in former Liberal strongholds.

The New Democrat’s Gwen O’Mahony, who has run twice unsuccessfully, came up the middle in Chilliwack-Hope with about 41 per cent of the popular vote Thursday night.

Laurie Throness from the Liberals and John Martin of the B.C. Conservative Party shared about 58 per cent, fulfilling Clark’s warning about splitting the “free enterprise” vote.

In Port Moody-Coquitlam, the NDP’s Joe Trasolini captured about 54 per cent of the vote, well ahead of the Liberals’ Dennis Marsden with 30 per cent and the Conservatives’ Christine Clarke with 15 per cent.

A former mayor of Port Moody, Trasolini was seen as the front-runner.

“This is going to send a clear message, the NDP is growing,” said NDP Leader Adrian Dix on Thursday.

Read and watch story: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/04/19/bc-byelections-moody-coquitlam-chilliwack-hope.html?cmp=rss