 Bracken chose not to seek entry to the House through a by-election, and when the Conservatives elected a new floor leader, Diefenbaker was defeated by one vote.Bracken was elected to the Commons in the 1945 general election, and for the first time in five years the Tories had their party leader in the House of Commons.The Progressive Conservatives won 67 seats to the Liberals' 125, with smaller parties and independents winning 52 seats.