Basil Zempilas was on tenterhooks for most of the night, but appeared set to survive a scare to launch his career in State Parliament.
He’s ahead with 46 per cent primary vote in Churchlands, ahead of labor mp Christine Tonkin on 28 per cent.
That should be enough to withstand the flow of preferences from the Greens and independent Lisa Thornton.
“I’m told that I’ve won,” Mr Zempilas said at 10pm.
“I knew it was going to be close, I knew it was going to be tight and if a $1 million smear campaign has no effect then what’s the point.
“I’ve withstood that and I’ve won the seat of Churchlands on a night when there was not a huge swing towards the Liberal party around the State.”
Camera IconBasil Zempilas at 7NEWS’ headquarters on election night. Credit: The West Australian
Mr Zempilas has been touted a future leader, with supporters even pushing him forward late last year and plunging Liberal leader Libby Mettam into crisis.
On Saturday night, he wasn’t prepared to put his hand up – yet – but declared the party does need to change direction.
“It would appear that we’re going to be in single digits at the end of this,” he said.
“That is not a result that anybody would have considered to have reached the mark that we’d anticipated.
“It’s very very clear that what we’re doing is not working. You cannot dispute that we have to do things differently. I’m still optimistic that what’s happened at this election is the start.”