The final outcome of the May 9 election remains undecided.

There are absentee ballots to tally, and recounts in tightly-contested races to be made.

The numbers, which stand at 43 for the B.C. Liberal Party, 41 for the B.C. NDP, and three for the B.C. Green Party on election night, could change.

John Horgan of the B.C. NDP can still become premier.

But if he doesn’t, Horgan deserves another kick at the can, according to Don Davies, the federal NDP MP for Vancouver Kingsway.

“Based on what I saw in this campaign, I would say absolutely,” Davies told the Georgia Straight as seesawing results flashed on two giant video screens at the Vancouver Convention Centre where New Democrats gathered on election night.

The B.C. NDP has a history of eating leaders who have failed to delivered success.

Following a disastrous election in 2013, it didn’t take long before then leader Adrian Dix was forced out.

But as optimism ran high on Tuesday evening at the Vancouver Convention Centre, most didn’t want to talk about what may happen next if the B.C. NDP fails to regain power it lost in 2001.

Davies, a diligent student of politics, was an exception, even as he was convinced that New Democrats will prevail this time.

“Even if we don’t win, as it turns out, there was a lot of success in this campaign,” Davies said. “I think we ran an excellent campaign.”

In addition to winning more seats, Davies said that the B.C. NDP won in areas that the party wasn’t expected to succeed.

“We’ve unseated cabinet ministers. We’re going to win in places like Maple Ridge, and the North Shore,” he said.

If the worst happens, “I would say this time, we would have to learn from our successes and be stronger next time.”

As for the B.C. NDP leader, “John Horgan, it has to be said, did an excellent job.”

“There’s an adage that governments aren’t elected; they’re defeated. I think that Christy Clark Liberals were defeated: very unpopular policies, out of touch with people, arrogant, maybe even corrupt,” Davies said. “And I think second of all, the NDP ran a really great campaign that resonated by talking about real issues for people.”