For more than three decades, the All Saints East and St Luke constituency has stood as one of the most reliable strongholds for the United Progressive Party (UPP), a seat political analysts have long marked as a safe win for the opposition ahead of Antigua and Barbuda’s upcoming general election. But this cycle, that long-held political certainty is breaking down, with the race now shaping up to be one of the most closely watched competitive contests on the ballot.
At the center of the challenge is Lamin Newton, the candidate put forward by the ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP). Newton is going head-to-head with Jamale Pringle, the UPP’s Opposition Leader and the incumbent representative for the constituency. For generations of local voters, the seat has consistently returned UPP candidates to office, a streak that has held for over 30 years, but Newton argues that shifting grassroots sentiment is upending that historic trend.
Speaking to reporters just after ABLP officially launched its island-wide campaign schedule on Tuesday, Newton struck a confident tone about his chances. He told reporters that on-the-ground outreach and conversations with voters have revealed growing discontent with the incumbent, and that electoral momentum is steadily building in his favour ahead of polling day. Political observers across the country are now keeping close watch on the constituency, as an upset here would not only shake up UPP’s electoral map but also reshape the balance of power in Antigua and Barbuda’s next parliament.