Preston's first involvement in politics was as an Alderman on the Town Council in Grimsby, Ontario. He was elected to the Ontario legislature in the
1995 provincial election, defeating
Liberal incumbent
Ron Eddy by about 3,500 votes in the mostly rural southern Ontario riding of
Brant—Haldimand. The seat was formerly known as a Liberal stronghold, and Preston's victory was regarded by many as an upset. He served as a
backbench supporter of the government of
Mike Harris for the next four years. Preston's riding was eliminated by redistribution prior to the
1999 provincial election, and he chose to seek re-election in the urban riding of
Hamilton East. He finished a distant second against Liberal
Dominic Agostino. ==References==