NDP's Cheryl Hardcastle wins seat in Windsor-Tecumseh

The NDP's Cheryl Hardcastle is projected to be the new Member of Parliament in Windsor-Tecumseh, continuing the party's 10-year hold on the riding.

With Elections Canada reporting Hardcastle winning more than 40 per cent of the vote, this riding resisted the Liberal wave cresting across the country.

Hardcastle takes over the seat fromNew Democrat Joe Comartin who retired in June, leaving the seat open after serving as a Member of Parliament since 2000.

"I'm very happy, I expected it, she ran a good campaign, she had a good team around her," Comartintold CBC News. "I'm not surprised, but happy."

Hardcastle appeared with newly elected Windsor West MP Brian Masse at the Teutonia Club to give a victory speech.

"Everything I've done, I've done it with my heart, and that makes you vulnerable" Hardcastle said. "So when there's a win like this, I'm so euphoric right now, I can't even explain it."

"I'll be your strong voice in Ottawa, I'll make you proud," she said.

With more than 92 per cent of polls reporting, Hardcastle had won 43.7 per cent of the ballots cast to that point. That put her ahead of Conservative candidateJo-AnneGignac (27.4 per cent) and Liberal candidate FrankSchiller (26.6 per cent).

Unofficially, Hardcastle had the second-highest margin of victory in the region, winning by 16.3 percentage points;behind Masse's 25.3 per cent victory and above Tracey Ramsey, who won in Essex by 5.4 per cent.

"I have to say I underestimated her," Gignacsaid. "I am surprised, absolutely, absolutely."

"It's definitely been a red wave across Canada and the 'Stop Harper' message was loud and clear," Gignac said. "We put our heart and soul into this and people have made a decision, that I think reflects our democracy and I'm prepared to live with it."

After the election result, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and city councillor Fred Francis both appeared with Gignac at her event.

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara said Hardcastle's win was bittersweet, even though the Liberal party won nationally,the NDP's status as a third-place party means it will be difficult for Windsor's concerns to reach government ears.

"It's not about being in cabinet, it's about being in government," McNamara said. "It's going to be very difficult trying to get representation. As mayors, we're going to have to work harder to advocate for southwestern Ontario."

He said he hoped to have a constructive relationship with Hardcastle and work collaboratively for the region.

Throughout the 78-day campaign, all three of the major candidates touted their experience in different levels of governance.

Schiller spent time working for the late Herb Gray in Ottawa, Hardcastle was the deputy mayor of Tecumseh and Gignac is a Windsor city councillor.

With this result, it appears voters supported Hardcastle and her history as a municipal politician in Tecumseh.

Candidates clashed most often on differing economic approaches for Windsor, which has long struggled with the highest unemployment rate in Canada.

Green party candidate David Momotiuk and Marxist-Leninist candidate Laura Chesnik also competed for the seat.