Hamilton area voters stayed loyal to Liberal incumbents in the city despite the party losing its majority status and heading for a minority government.

Liberal incumbents Filomena Tassi in Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas, Bob Bratina in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, and Karina Gould in Burlington have all been re-elected as the party hung on to its Hamilton area seats.

The NDP also kept its two Hamilton seats as the city's electoral map in the new term will look the same as it did going into the campaign.

The surprise of the night was the close call for Conservative incumbent David Sweet in Flamborough-Glanbrook. He squeezed past Liberal challenger Jennifer Stebbing who was neck and neck with Sweet for most of the night. At one point, with almost 80 per cent of the vote counted, Sweet led by a single vote.

Matthew Green has won in Hamilton Centre to continue the NDP dominance in that riding, taking over from long-time NDP MP Dave Christopherson. Joining him in returning to Ottawa— in what might be pivotal roles for the party in the minority government — is Scott Duvall, who won re-election in Hamilton Mountain.

Passing the torch in Hamilton Centre

"This result is the combination of just incredible work." said Green as he celebrated his win with supporters. "I don' even know what the closing polls state, and I don't really care. I just know that the support and the relationships that have been built here is a beautiful thing happening in Hamilton Centre."

Bob Bratina, re-elected Liberal MP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek, speaks to his supporters. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)

Green entered into the NDP Hamilton Centre celebration hand-in-hand, fists raised in triumph, with outgoing MP Christopherson. Music blaring and a room of supporters cheering, the two embraced on stage, and Christopherson passed the torch by loaning Green his MP pin until Green gets his own.

When asked what Green's win means for the community, Christopherson said that Green is one of "the few guys" who could match his clear, trademark thundering voice.

"He reflects the values and the priorities of the people that live here. That's why he won...that's what he's all about. And you see it in his actions and his voting, and I predict that Matthew Green is going to become very well known in Canada in a very short period of time in a very positive way.

Deanna Allain, an NDP supporter, said that Green has been a mentor for her when it comes to politics. She said he opened up opportunities for her, including a chance for her to represent Hamilton in Ottawa.

"I've watched him through all of this time empower other young people...He's taught me how to do that for other people. And it's because of the empowerment that he gave to me that I'm able to kind of do what I do today," she said.

Rimsha Laeeq, 19, of Stoney Creek watches the results at Bob Bratina's party at the Grand Olympia on Barton Street. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)

Ontario NDP leader and leader of the official opposition in Ontario, Andrea Horwath also showed up at the Hamilton Centre headquarters to offer a word of congratulations.

Bratina battled back and forth with NDP challenger Nick Milanovic in Hamilton East-Stoney-Creek as the night went on built up a comfortable lead.

Bratina looks forward

When asked if he planned to retire after this term, the 75-year-old former mayor pointed to former Mississauga mayor Hazel McCallion, who's nearly 100 and still working.

Bratina has never lost an election. He attributes that to "having outstanding people to say, 'Bob, you keep going and we're going to do the work behind you."

Conservative Diane Finlay was re-elected in Haldimand-Norfolk and Dean Allison has been re-elected for the Conservatives in Niagara West.

Hamilton attracted plenty of attention from the party leaders, a measure of how crucial any gains or losses in Southern Ontario can be. Trudeau visited the city three times, Scheer twice and Singh twice, each predicting gains in Hamilton.

Maxime Bernier, leader of the People's Party of Canada, also visited Mohawk College with American YouTuber and political commentator David Rubin, which led to violent clashes. ( https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/mohawk-bernier-violent-clashes-1.5302342 ).

David Sweet survived a close race with Liberal challenger Jennifer Stebbing to win re-election in Flamborough-Glanbrook (Laura Clementson/CBC)

CBC identified two of the area's ridings as among 60 key ridings to watch across the country: Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Burlington, both currently held by Liberals.

Gould strong in Burlington

In Burlington, Gould solidified her surprise 2015 victory, taking 48 per cent of the vote in the riding. She won her seat by just 3.5 percentage points in 2015. She was thought to be one of the Liberal cabinet ministers who might have the most to worry about. She was up against Conservative candidate Jane Michael.

Hamilton East Stoney Creek was projected by CBC as a possible swing riding with the rise in NDP support through the campaign. Unionized workers in the city led a campaign to unseat Bratina, a former city councillor and mayor, saying he had not done enough to fight for steelworkers.

Green was elected in a riding that has been NDP stronghold since it was created in 2003.For all that time, the seat has been held by Christopherson, a member of parliament known for his thundering oration and staying power. But Christopherson announced back in July that he's retiring.

Voters cast ballots in Flamborough-Glanbrook, Hamilton Centre, Hamilton Mountain, Hamilton East-Stoney Creek and Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas.

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