BOSTON (AP) — Democrat Edward Markey has been elected to a full six-year term in the U.S. Senate representing Massachusetts.
Markey defeated little-known Republican challenger Brian Herr on Tuesday.
Markey ran a lower-profile race than last year, when he won a special election to finish John Kerry's Senate term. He has also spent more than three decades in the U.S. House.
During his campaign, the 68-year-old Markey defended his decision to cast a wide net when looking for legislative priorities, saying voters wanted him to "be working on everything."
He pointed to one study that found he'd sponsored or co-sponsored 506 new laws while in Congress.
Herr is a businessman and former Hopkinton selectman. He faced a number of challenges, including little campaign cash and virtually no statewide name recognition.