Hamilton Centre’s NDP MP again coasted to victory in Tuesday’s federal election, easily outdistancing his closest rival, Conservative candidate Leon O’Connor, by taking more than half of all votes cast.

Liberal Helen Wilson placed third, with Green John Livingston fourth.

A former city councillor and MPP, Mr. Christopherson was greeted with enthusiastic cheers as he entered the Donnici Social Club on King Street East and then treated to something more exotic.

To a steady drum beat, Chinese lion dancers weaved their way through the hall and he was given a pole with a head of lettuce dangling from it.

One of the lions grabbed and devoured the lettuce, tossing the shredded bits back at the newly re-elected MP — a symbol of prosperity and good luck.

“The Liberals and Conservatives have been trying to do that in the House of Commons for years!” he quipped to laughter.

On a more serious note, Mr. Christopherson said one of his campaign’s biggest challenges was his past success.

He also took more than half the vote in 2006 and beat Liberal MP Stan Keyes by nearly 6,000 votes in his inaugural run in 2004.

His perceived dominance led to some complacency, he said, with some people suggesting they didn’t even really need to vote.

“That’s a formula for disaster,” Mr. Christopherson said. “We fought that head on and made it known to people that if you like the work that we’re doing, we need you to come out on election day.”

Tuesday was another banner day for the NDP locally, with the Mountain’s Chris Charlton and East-Hamilton-Stoney Creek’s Wayne Marston increasing their margins of victory.

Mr. Christopherson said although the campaign began quietly, that changed with the ongoing financial turmoil.

“As soon as the economy changed, then everybody was worried about jobs, their mortgage, their RRSPs,” he said.

“They were scared and they were appreciative that we were standing up and speaking for their issues on their behalf and making sure that they don’t get lost in the big, multi-billion dollar hand outs.”

As for the national results, Mr. Christopherson said he’s relieved the Conservatives were held to a minority.

“We’ve still got a weakened Conservative government in a minority position,” he said. “This is good for Canadians and we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario.”