By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

COALITION of Independents Leader Lincoln Bain said although the Progressive Liberal Party won the by-election, his party is prepared to win the war ahead of the 2026 general election.

“They won the battle, but we are going to win the war,” said Mr Bain.

Mr Bain, PLP candidate Kingsley Smith, Free National Movement candidate Bishop Ricardo Grant, and independents DaQuan Swain and Terneille Burrows contested the West Grand Bahama and Bimini seat.

However, Mr Smith claimed victory, with an unofficial total of 2,150 votes. Grant finished with 1,276 votes, Bain with 307 and Swain with 28 and four for Burrows.

“I feel awesome,” Mr Bain said.

“I think we got to come and do what we have always been doing, that’s fighting for the people, advocating for the people and getting things done and I think that is what we did.”

Mr Bain classified his defeat as a learning experience, hoping to regain his bearings for the 2026 general election.

“This is a PLP seat,” he said yesterday.

“I mean the whole government and everyone had to come down, this has never happened in political history.

“They spent a lot of money on the grounds and they wanted to win this so it doesn’t take anything from us, but we are going to go in the general election to get ready to take the country.”

The West Grand Bahama and Bimini constituency is said to be predominately a PLP seat, with yesterday’s poll reflecting this reality.

While acknowledging this, Mr Bain urged the government to do what was promised on their campaign trail.

Asked how he feels about missing the threshold to get a return on his $400 nomination fee, Mr Bain expressed no concern about the money.

“We have been a success, it wasn’t about any money, we don’t need $400.

“This is literally about some relief for the people.

"I wish some of the people in this consistency could get that $400 because there are people who are suffering.

"There are people who just don’t know what they are going to eat tomorrow, there are people whose homes are in disarray and destroyed, they don’t have light, they don’t have water and so it’s really about fighting for the people and that’s really the most important thing for us.”