Political Career
In the December 1984 general election, he was elected to a seat in the House of Representatives from St. George North West constituency, and he has held the seat in each subsequent election. Mitchell was elected as leader of the NNP in January 1989, defeating Prime Minister Herbert Blaize. Blaize then dismissed Mitchell from his position as Minister of Works and Communications on 21 July 1989.
After the NNP was victorious in the general election held on 20 June 1995, winning eight out of 15 seats in the House of Representatives, Mitchell took office as Prime Minister, along with his Cabinet, on 22 June. Under Mitchell's leadership, the party won all 15 seats in the early election held in January 1999, and the NNP narrowly won a third term in power in the November 2003 election, reduced to a one seat parliamentary majority.
The New National Party was defeated in the general election held on 8 July 2008 by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), winning only four seats against 11 for the NDC. Mitchell himself was re-elected to his seat from St. George North West. NDC leader Tillman Thomas succeeded Mitchell as Prime Minister on 9 July. Mitchell said that the people voted for change and congratulated Thomas. Following the election, he continued as NNP leader and was sworn in as Leader of the Opposition on 16 July 2008.
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