Democrat Flips State House In New Hampshire Town That Trump Won By 10 Points

A Democrat beat a Republican in a special election race in the historically red town of Hooksett, New Hampshire, to fill a seat in the state’s House of Representatives.

The New Hampshire House Democratic Caucus announced Kathleen Martin’s victory over Republican Elliot Axelman on Tuesday night.

The Republican who held the seat, state Rep. Dick Marple, died in December. Martins will serve the remainder of his term until elections are held again in November.

“Kathleen knocked on hundreds of doors and earned the support of voters across the political spectrum,” Raymond Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said in a statement Tuesday. “Her efforts show that Democrats can be competitive even in communities like Hooksett, where Donald Trump won by 10 points in 2016. We are proud of the work she has done to turn Hooksett blue.”

Martins was predicted to win 1,000 votes to Axelman’s 961, according to an unofficial tally by WMUR-TV.

Democrats hold the majority in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.