"This is a big boost and shows a significant increase in support for Labour," he said. "It's quite rare for an incumbent not to poll higher than his party vote, I know I did."
Mr McAnulty puts his commitment to the electorate down to his increased support.
"People could see I was genuine," he said.
And going into Parliament Mr McAnulty said his sole focus will be on the Wairarapa electorate.
"There's a lot which can be done," he said. "I will be the voice this electorate needs and I hope I'll be elected as the MP in three years' time."
Mr McAnulty said Alastair Scott was "grasping at straws," as he tried to explain the drop in his personal vote.
"He hasn't been engaged or advocating for the region," he said. "I live in the electorate and for 18 months have been working towards the election."
New Zealand First's Ron Mark also makes it back to Parliament as a List MP, something he's not happy about.
"I trailed a distant third and it [the election] didn't go very well," he said.
"Clearly people made their choice and I've got to accept the verdict, but I wanted the privilege and honour of being an elected MP for Wairarapa, not a List MP.
"Alastair [Scott] doesn't realise how lucky and privileged he is to be the elected MP for this astonishing electorate.
"I can't deny Alastair's vote and his party has been given the seal of approval and mandate.
"But, I'm struggling with the huge amount of verbal support I received during the campaign and the difference in the votes we generated."
Mr Mark said there were a bunch of people, including some senior leaders in this electorate, who did not understand the limitations on him as a List MP.
"I have no mandate to work for the Wairarapa, my focus has to be on working for the party," he said. "I don't even know if I'll have an office in Parliament."
And Mr Mark has also taken a swipe at some of the electioneering tactics used by Mr McAnulty.
"Some of the things he did and said throughout the campaign disappointed me," he said. "Telling voters I was okay because I'd get in on the New Zealand First list, so they should give him their vote, wasn't on."
And although disappointed with not being able to represent the electorate as the MP, Mr Mark said he would get on and represent New Zealand First, albeit with limited resources.
"New Zealand First policies are very clear and there's not necessarily a focus on the electorate," he said. "My focus will have to be on New Zealand First core issues."
Mr Mark said he has yet to sit down with the "boss" Winston Peters and have the conversation about whether or not he will get a Cabinet post in a coalition government.
"There are others in that decision-making process and it's about doing the right thing for New Zealand," he said. "But of course, everyone who comes into Parliament their goal is a Cabinet position."
Mr Mark said he was proud of how he and his team covered the entire electorate during campaigning.
"My old truck did some kilometers," he said.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my engagement with people and the highlight for me was the number of new people in Dannevirke who helped me run a very solid campaign up in the north of the electorate.
"On election day as I drove down from Waipawa, I stopped and thanked those people and on election night there were people from Dannevirke, Woodville and Pahiatua, here at the Buckhorn Bar in Carterton with me. And the strength of our New Zealand First campaign team was incredible. Sadly, this candidate didn't have the support he thought he did."