Election 2018: Warren Wins Second Term In Senate

BOSTON, MA --Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) fortified her credentials for a possible run for the White House in 2020, defeating Republican nominee Geoff Diehl for a second term in the Senate. While polls conducted throughout the campaign suggested Warren would win easily, political analysts were wary of polls in the midterm election after getting caught off guard in the 2016 presidential election. As a result, Warren campaigned as if she was in a much closer race than the final results would suggest.

"I am deeply grateful and I promise I will never stop working my heart out for you," Warren told supporters gathered at the Fairmont Copley in Boston. "Tonight, I make you this promise: We are just getting started."

CNN called Warren's victory just after polls closed at 8 pm Tuesday. With 54% of precincts reporting, according to the Associated Press, Warren had 60% of the vote to Diehl's 36.6%. Independent candidate Shiva Ayyadurai had 3.4%.

Warren's victory speech, which started at 11:15 pm Tuesday night, was closely watched by political observers hoping to pick up hints about her plans for 2020. Much of the speech reasserted maybe of the issues she campaigned on, while also paying homage to women who had felt disenfranchised after Hillary Clinton's defeat two years ago.

"Two years ago on a very dark election night, millions of women watched in horror as Donald Trump was elected president," she said. "Millions of women took to the streets and raised their voices until they could be ignored no more...they refused to let anyone shut them up or stand in their way, and that is how real change begins."

The race between the two major-party candidates was contentious, and Diehl was able to chip away at Warren’s double-digit lead in more recent polls. While Warren has been one of the Senate’s most vocal critics of Trump, Diehl served as the president’s Massachusetts campaign chairman in 2016. Diehl had tried to portray Warren as being fixated on Trump and focused on a presidential run while neglecting her responsibilities to her constituents.

"We left no stone unturned," Diehl told supporters at the VFW in Whitman Tuesday night. "I know that I gave it my all, but I also know that you gave it your all, too...And I am a firm believer that when God shuts a door, he opens a window somewhere, so together we’re going to find that window."

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., gives her victory speech at a Democratic election watch party in Boston, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).