By Kellah Lavoie

Mushinski hangs up her hat after election

May 3, 2011 | 6:39 AM

It is a bittersweet ending for Valerie Mushinski.

After Monday’s election, the three time NDP candidate said she won’t run again.

“I think I have given it my all and I think what I can offer now is a bit of wisdom and how to be a candidate,” she said, adding she can serve as an “elder” if she helps with the next election.

While Mushinski did not win her seat, she still wore a smile as bright as her orange scarf.

“I’m very, very happy that the New Democrats have formed the official opposition,” she said, calling it a day that was going to go down in history.

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“(We need to) remember it, celebrate it and cherish it.”

Her campaign got a late start, with signs going up weeks after Hoback. It’s something her campaign manager, Don Bendig, took responsibility for.

Mushinksi was still happy with how things went.

“I think we ran a very strong ethical campaign we were engaged with a variety of people and from young to old,” she said emphasizing youth are an important part of the party. They used both traditional and the digital side of campaigning.

Now they the party has to look to the future.

“We are going to have to deconstruct what we did, how well we did and what we need to do more of and how we need to change.”

Mushinski said the most disappointing part was the rise of a majority Conservative government.

“I’m a little bit concerned about that,” she said.

At the end of the night Mushinski thanked all of those involved with her campaign.

Bendig said he couldn’t have had a better candidate to work with, adding he hopes another ride snaps up Mushinksi in the next four years.

He made it clear that in the past three elections, she has moved up in the standings, and closed the gap between NDP and Conservative each time.

“We ran a strong campaign,” she said.

klavoie@panow.com