Joey Smallwood was the NCA's chief organizer and spokesman, and led the winning side of the 1948 Newfoundland referendum on Confederation.

In hopes of stemming the tide, Smallwood brought several younger Liberals into government during this time, but this did little to rebuild his popularity.

Frank Moores' Conservatives attempted to form government but its shaky hold on power resulted in the 1972 general election.

In September 1990, Wells signed a development agreement for the Hibernia project, thereby laying the foundation for the province's oil and gas industry and future economic prosperity.

In 1996, Tobin resigned from federal politics to succeed Clyde Wells as leader of the governing Liberal Party of Newfoundland and premier.

During his time as premier Tobin pursued tough negotiations with out-of-province companies seeking to export resources for refining and smelting elsewhere.

A similar tough stance was taken in seeking to develop the Lower Churchill River, keeping in mind the contract his predecessor Joey Smallwood had negotiated.

Grimes was considered to be the candidate of the party establishment, he had a low-profile with a proven track record in several difficult portfolios.

The three-month race had included nasty and personal attacks between the candidates, and when Grimes was announced as the leader he received boos from Efford's supporters.

[10] The Liberals had been in power for 12 years when Grimes won the leadership; he attempted to reinvigorate the party by distancing himself from Tobin.

[11] In 2003, the federal government declared a moratorium on the last remaining cod fishery in Atlantic Canada in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

While Newfoundland and Labrador was again the most directly affected province by this decision, communities on Quebec's North Shore and in other parts of Atlantic Canada also faced difficulties.

When Grimes accused the federal government of bias in the Gulf of St. Lawrence cod moratorium, many even in Newfoundland and Labrador saw him as stirring up unnecessary trouble for political gain.

After the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada, Grimes' popularity began to decline as his increasingly confrontational approach made it more difficult to win concessions from the federal government.

[14][15] In April of that year Bennett was criticized by Reid, who was still serving as Opposition Leader, over his proposal to create a two-tier minimum wage based on age.

The campaigned on a platform that advocated for the creation of a legacy fund for offshore oil revenues, a new deal to develop the Lower Churchill hydroelectric development, annual increase to retired public service pensions, improve high-speed internet and cellphone service in rural areas, merge the Department of Business with the Department of Innovation, Trade, and Rural Development, establish a fisheries investment and diversification fund, creation of a fisheries loan board, initiate a judicial inquiry dealing with management of the fishery and operating a marine rescue subcentre in the province.

[36] On July 18, 2013 Bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce was named Leader of the Opposition replacing Dwight Ball who resigned to run for the leadership permanently in the 2013 convention.

[37] In the 2015 general election, the Tories lost their majority to the Liberals making their government the shortest in the province's history since joining Canada (it lasted from 2003 to 2015, 12 years).

Due to the ongoing fall in oil prices and high public debt due to overspending by the Tories under Williams and Dunderdale, the province faced a massive deficit and thus, the Liberal government planned tax increases and cuts to government services including the closure of libraries and courthouses.

[40] Combined with the mismanagement of the Lower Churchill Project and Nalcor Energy,[41][42] this led to Ball being one of Canada's least popular heads of government only seven months after being elected with a majority of votes.

[44] In the 2019 provincial election, despite consistent Progressive Conservative leads in polling through the debate, including a 9 point lead in the final poll, released a day before the election,[45] the Liberal Party led by Ball won re-election, but nonetheless fell one seat short of retaining their majority after an unexpected loss to the New Democrats in Labrador West by 5 votes (later lowered to 2 votes).

[50] On January 15, 2021, Furey asked for consent from Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to dissolve the House of Assembly to call for an election in order to obtain a stronger mandate in the form of a majority government.

[51] On September 12, 2022, Premier Furey announced that Independent MHA Perry Trimper would be rejoining the Liberal caucus.

[52] Beginning in December 2023, ahead of a by-election for Conception Bay East–Bell Island expected in early 2024, campaign signs identified the party primarily using a "Furey" logotype, with a reference to "Newfoundland and Labrador Liberals" in smaller print.

Political analysts suggested the change was made due to Furey's personal popularity combined with dropping poll numbers for the federal Liberals under Justin Trudeau.

On May 27, 2024, Progressive Conservative candidate Lin Paddock was elected in the Baie Verte-Green Bay by-election, gaining the seat from the Liberals.