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Tim, you've been an inspiration. Look forward to working together. https://t.co/kXyf7WmO3F — Sam Oosterhoff (@samoosterhoff) October 23, 2016

Oosterhoff will contend for the seat against Liberal Vicky Ringuette and New Democrat Michael Thomas in the Nov. 17 by-election, regarded as another mini-referendum on the deeply unpopular government of Liberal Premier Kathleen Wynne and leadership of PC boss Patrick Brown.

Should he win, Oosterhoff would become the youngest MPP in Ontario history.

But party insiders say his victory over two established Tory politicians — including former St. Catharines Conservative MP and current PC party president Rick Dykstra — is simultaneously a rebuke of the PC party establishment in the riding and the result of vote-splitting and internal political manoeuvring gone awry.

“I think part of the lesson here is that if we, as the party establishment, take things for granted, if you take people and groups in the community for granted, they will stand up and make their voice heard. That is what happened here,” said Grimsby regional councillor Tony Quirk who, along with Dykstra, was regarded as one of the favourites to win the nomination.

“Look at what is happening to the Republican Party. Look at the lessons they have had to learn in the last few months.”

Oosterhoff is not saying what he thinks of his victory, the state of his party or what he thinks it all means. At least not on Sunday.

Look at what is happening to the Republican Party. Look at the lessons they have had to learn in the last few months

“He is here, but he doesn’t work on a Sunday as he believes it is a day of rest,” said a man who answered Oosterhoff’s phone Sunday morning. He did not identify himself and hung up when a request to interview Oosterhoff was repeated.