Democrat Chris Coons is the winner in the Delaware U.S. Senate race, beating controversial Republican and Tea Party-backed candidate, Christine O'Donnell.
"I cannot tell you how grateful we are tonight," Coons said in his victory speech.
Coons took 57 percent (173,900) of the vote to O'Donnell's 40 percent (123,025).
"You sent a message that the politics of no, the politics of division, the politics of negativity have no place in this great state," Coons said.
"You want a strong economy. You want a good paying job. You want our middle class back," Coons said, pledging he'd work tirelessly to get "our state and our nation back on track…and to once again make real for the people of Delaware, these six words, 'Made in America, Manufactured in Delaware.' "
Coons will take the Senate seat long occupied by Vice President Joe Biden.
Politics
It was a seat long in Democratic hands that Republicans had nevertheless virtually counted as their own this year, but that was before O'Donnell defeated veteran Rep. Mike Castle in the September primary.
O'Donnell went from a virtual unknown to primary winner to fodder for late-night comedians in a the span of a few months She had been criticized for her lack of experience and spotty financial history, and was plagued by a videotape from years ago in which she said she "dabbled'' in witchcraft.
As soon as the polls closed, the Coons' campaign posted his victory on his Facebook page and the comments from supporters flooded in:
"I guess I can cancel my reservations for Canada..." said Tracy Todd Woodson.
"Thank God for Delaware," Tammy Martinez posted.
And Germaine David said, "I hear crickets...where are her flying monkeys?"
O'Donnell, in her concession speech told her supporter they still won because the system would never been the same in Delaware and neither would the Republican party.
"Our voices were heard and we're not gonna be quiet now," she told supporters. "This is just the beginning."
"I just got off the phone with my opponent and I reminded him that he is now in a position to help the people of Delaware who are suffering," O'Donnell said.
