The NDP crowd was hungry for a victory, so when Vancouver-Kingsway candidate Don Davies walked into Heritage Hall, it might as well have been Posh ’n’ Becks. The thick crowd pounded their applause, and chanted "Davies, Davies!"

The ruddy-cheeked first-time MP-elect, followed by his wife and teenaged daughter, was scrummed by a pack of news-starved TV crews. He took the stage, did the requisite Rocky-inspired victory fist shake with B.C. NDP president Jeff Fox, and let the noise die down.

"I wrote a victory speech and a defeat speech," Davies told the crowd, "and my defeat speech is better."

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Defeat sucks!"

After thanking a crew of folk, Davies said he had two pledges.

"The last person elected here put the king in Kingsway," he said, to more cheers. "Tonight, we put the constituent into constituency!" The crowd went ballistic.

"Second," he said, "I will work hard to serve you, and I will strive mightily to listen. I'll bring democracy, fairness, and a voice to the ones who may not be able to speak for themselves."

Of the four NDP candidates at Heritage Hall tonight, Davies was the only one elected.

For complete Vancouver-based coverage of the 2008 election, go to the Straight's Federal election page.