Strangford
The DUP's Jim Shannon was re-elected MP for the Co Down constituency of Strangford with 7,000 votes to spare in a wave of unionist anger at Boris Johnson's Brexit strategy.
He said it was a vote of opposition to the British prime minister's proposed deal over concerns it would create a customs border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
Mr Shannon delivered his maiden speech to the House of Commons in the Ulster Scots tongue when first elected in 2010.
On Friday, he said: "The union has been degraded and downgraded by Boris Johnson.
"He would take your alsatian dog for a walk, he would come back an hour later and give you a chihuahua and tell you it was all right."
He said they needed to convince the British premier of the importance of the union, and claimed the DUP's numbers in the next parliament would give it influence.
Mr Shannon added: "We will do our bit to make sure that the union, for those who live in Leicester, London, Manchester, Newcastle or wherever else in the UK, also is the same for the people of Strangford and the people of Strangford have told me that."
His closest rival, the cross-community Alliance party's Kellie Armstrong, said Northern Ireland deserved a restored devolved government.
She said: "We have a health service that is falling apart, we have education that needs reform, we have infrastructure that is in a desperate state of crisis and it is time for the assembly to be back."
She added: "We have had enough, you have had enough and it is time to move on."
