Liberals take longtime NDP stronghold in Hamilton Centre

Election night saw longtime New Democrat incumbent Matthew Green come to terms with a tough loss. Despite Hamilton Centre being a traditional NDP stronghold, Liberal candidate Aslam Rana took the seat.

Green has represented the riding of Hamilton Centre since 2019.

“This is how democracy works,” he said. “I knew what I was getting into when I took on this opportunity.”

Election night was bleak for the entire NDP party, which was effectively wiped out of Ontario.

In Hamilton Centre, even Conservative candidate Hayden Lawrence received more votes than Green in the NDP stronghold.

The riding saw the lowest voter turnout in the region with only 62.4 per cent.

Brock University Political Science professor Stefan Dolgert says the NDP tanked across the country because Canadians were likely voting strategically, making this a two-party election between the Liberals and Conservatives.

“In spite of Green being a politician that really connected with the community and very well grounded in the Hamilton community… the NDP country-wide, their support cratered nd I think there wasn’t much Green could do against that,” Dolgert said.

During the campaign, Liberal candidate Aslam Rana promised to move to Hamilton if he won. CHCH News reached out to Rana for an interview, but he was not available.

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