THE Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt topped the poll in Strangford, finishing ten votes ahead of Regional Development Minister Michelle McIlveen, but admitted his own popularity looked set to damage his party's chances of a second seat.
As the constituency entered its eighth count last night, four MLAs were declared, with the DUP ministers Simon Hamilton and Jonathan Bell also re-elected.
The race for the final two seats looks set to go to the wire, with the SDLP's Joe Boyle firmly in the hunt after being pipped at the post in the last three elections.
However, Mr Nesbitt acknowledged that his personal success looked set to deal a fatal blow to his party colleague, leaving Philip Smith polling just 1,694 first preference votes and in a losing battle last night to take a second seat for the Ulster Unionists.
The UUP leader cut a forlorn figure at the Aurora Leisure Centre in Bangor.
Mr Nesbitt told The Irish News: "On a personal level, I am surprised, humbled and delighted, and I didn’t see it coming.
"However I am concerned about Philip Smith, and while there is a still a chance, I would far rather that I was finishing fifth and Philip sixth than this situation."
The quota was 4,663, the exact number of votes gained by Ms McIlveen, while Mr Nesbitt polled 4,673.
Joe Boyle of the SDLP, who came within 31 votes of a seat in 2007, said he was "very pleased" after polling 2,724 first preference votes, and remains in contention for a nail-biting finish.
Mr Boyle said: "This is my fourth Assembly election and on many occasions I have been the last competitor to become the 108th MLA.
He added: "The independents who have been eliminated will transfer to the next highest unionist, but I have a distinct possibility of transfers from the Greens and Sinn Féin."
The Health Minister, Simon Hamilton, followed close behind his DUP colleague Ms McIlveen, with 3,964 first preference votes.
The Alliance’s Kellie Armstrong had a strong showing, polling 3,499 first preference votes, ahead of DETI Minister Jonathan Bell, with 3,393.
In an unexpected development, Ms Armstrong surged ahead of the chasing pack by gaining almost 600 transfers from the elimination of UKIP’s Stephen Crosby.
The DUP’s ambitious hopes of landing a fourth seat with Harry Harvey were dashed after he was eliminated on the sixth count.
The TUV’s Stephen Cooper ate away at support for the other unionist parties, with 1,407 votes, but looked out of contention for a seat last night.
Dermot Kennedy, of Sinn Féin, was quickly eliminated after polling just 661 votes.
Strangford saw a 50.25% turnout, up almost 2% on the 2011 Assembly election, with 3,000 more votes cast this time around.
