He was first involved in politics when he was elected in 1989 to the
municipal council of the
Town of Riverview. He was re-elected to that position in 1992 and 1995 before successfully running for
mayor in 1998. He was re-elected mayor in 2001 and served in that capacity until his election to the legislature in the
2003 provincial election. Fitch was the only non-incumbent Progressive Conservative to win a seat in that election and was immediately named to
cabinet as
Minister of Energy. He was
shuffled to the new
Justice and Consumer Affairs portfolio on February 14, 2006 despite having no legal training; this was made possible by disassociating the functions of the
Office of the Attorney General from the Justice Department. He is a member of the First Baptist Church. His hobbies include sailboarding and golf. An ardent fan and supporter of minor sports, he is frequently seen on the sidelines of his children’s games. He also coached minor soccer and football in the past. He has been involved in the community for many years. He has been a member of many boards and committees, including
Codiac Regional Police Board,
Lakeview Manor Senior Citizens Home, and the
Atlantic Baptist University. On October 18, 2014 after the
Progressive Conservative Party under
David Alward failed to form government, Fitch was made interim leader of the
Progressive Conservative Party and
Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick. Fitch was re-elected in the 2018 and 2020 provincial elections. On April 5, 2024, he announced that he would not be seeking re-election during the
2024 provincial election. ==Electoral record==