Democrat Derek Kilmer has defeated his Republican opponent Bill Driscoll in Tuesday’s election in the race for a 6th District seat in Congress.

“Tonight’s results show that folks want a congressman who understands what struggling middle-class families and small businesses are going through and will who cut through the partisan gridlock to deliver real results to help them,” Kilmer said. “I’m honored by their confidence in me to make that happen.”

Kilmer also congratulated Driscoll on “running a vigorous campaign.”

Officials with the Driscoll campaign said they were waiting to comment until all results were counted.

The first vote tally put Kilmer with 58 percent of the vote, while Driscoll had 41 percent.

Kilmer, a Democrat and state senator from Gig Harbor, emerged from the primary as a majority frontrunner in a race that featured seven candidates.