It was a very big night for Democrats across the country, and also in New Hampshire.
Carol Shea Porter, who several weeks ago was little known and far behind in the polls, won in the state's first Congressional District.
New Hampshire Public Radio's David Darman has more.
For several hours on election night, it wasn't clear which candidate was going to win in the First District.
But it finally became clear that Democrat Carol Shea Porter had pulled off an upset, and had beaten Republican Congressman Jeb Bradley.
In her speech to supporters, Shea Porter thanked her many volunteers for all they did in a hard fought campaign.
we have shown tonight, as indeed we've shown for the past year, that working together we can make this change, that we can turn the direction of this country back to the place where we want to be. so i thank you all.....(applause).
Carol Shea Porter ran her campaign on a shoestring, but staked her candidacy on a few big issues.
She strongly opposed the Bush Administration's policies in waging the Iraq War.
On health care, she called for making Medicare available to anyone.
Shea Porter promised her supporters she'd carry those positions with her when she was sworn in as a member of New Hampshire's new delegation in Congress.
and i'll tell you something, we're going to make a difference down in washington, because we have our own voice there. and i'm going down to washington and i'm doing exactly what i promised, i'll speak up for the rest of us.
Congressman Bradley was gracious to Shea Porter in his concession speech.
But he was also defiant in defending the positions he'd staked out during his four years in Congress.
Those included supporting tax cuts, and standing with the President on Iraq.
As he spoke to his disappointed supporters, Bradley told them they had done all they could to keep him in office.
i don't want anybody hanging their hats with long faces tonight. because let me tell you what i take away from the sixteen years that the voters of new hampshire have given me to serve them first for twelve years in the legislature and now for four years as a member of congress. it has been a distinct honor both in the legislature and in congress.
With her victory, Shea Porter becomes the first woman to ever serve New Hampshire in Congress.
And she's the first Democrat elected in the First District for more than twenty years.
