Politicians will always publicly talk up their chances of winning an election.
When I sat down with Davy Russell in Hamilton a week before polling day, he was absolutely adamant he was going to win.
His optimism flew in the face of polls suggesting Reform could push Labour into third place, and the bookies who had also written off the party’s chances of victory.
Despite all that though he remained upbeat, convinced his strategy of chapping doors and the fact he was well known in the community would secure the win.
Russell took a lot of stick during the campaign for ducking local hustings and the STV debate.
He insisted he had taken the conscious decision to focus his campaign on talking to voters on the doorstep.
His opponents branded him the “invisible man” and repeatedly asked “where’s Davy?”
But he had the last laugh, mocking the Reform candidate in his acceptance speech by asking, “Can you see me now?”
Anas Sarwar says it’s now “absolutely game on” for the Holyrood election next year, with this result giving his hopes of becoming First Minister a significant boost.
Reform’s Deputy Leader Richard Tice also felt something to cheer in this result, insisting he is “thrilled to bits” with third.
His party picked up more than a quarter of the vote in its first real electoral test in Scotland since Nigel Farage took charge as leader.
STV NewsBut for the SNP the questions now begin.
The party threw everything at this by-election, with the First Minister almost a constant presence on the streets of the constituency.
His claim that this was a two horse race between the SNP and Reform seems well wide of the mark now.
This will undoubtedly lead to lot of soul searching as the party picks over the pieces of the campaign.
But for Labour, the invisible man can for the moment bask in the spotlight of his shock victory, and perhaps even allow himself a few “I told you so’s.”
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