Republican Sen. Damon Thayer of Georgetown, the majority floor leader, easily turned back a challenge for the 17th District seat from Democrat Charlie Hoffman, a Scott County magistrate and former state representative.
Thayer led by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 with most precincts reporting.
Thayer crushed Hoffman in the money race, reporting general-election campaign receipts of $381,662 and spending of $216,198 as of Oct. 24 compared to $5,467 in contributions to Hoffman.
The financial edge allowed Thayer to do significant advertising on television that Hoffman could not match.