(The Center Square) — Democrat Hannah Pingree defeated Republican Bobby Charles in Maine's wide-open governor's race Tuesday as part of a nationwide sweep of governorships by her party.

Pingree was leading Charles 54.8% to 37.2% with more than three-quarters of the state's voting precincts reporting early Wednesday morning. Independent Rick Bennett trailed behind with 8% of the votes. The Associated Press called the race for Pingree shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Pingree, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, will succeed termed out Gov. Janet Mills and keep the state's top elected post in Democratic hands for the next four more years.

"Tonight is actually about celebrating. We've earned it," Pingree, 50, said in remarks Tuesday night at a victory celebration in Portland. "We've all earned it. And then we're gonna get to work."

Charles, an attorney and former Navy intelligence officer, addressed supporters Tuesday night to concede the race. He pledged to continue to work on issues that he ran on, including high property, taxes, energy costs, public benefits fraud and a lack of trust in state government.

"Many wanted change, but not enough — not yet," Charles said in his remarks. "Eighteen months ago, Maine was in peril. It remains in peril now. I am proud of what we built together. This is not a one-off campaign. It is the start of a movement. We will not let this movement slow."

Like other races, the issue of affordability, energy costs, and Trump's divisive policies were on the ballot in the governor's race.

On campaign trail, Charles launched attacks on Pingree over her record in Congress and seeking to tie her to far-left democratic politicians in an effort to flip the governorship for Republicans.

"Maine has had the same failed leadership for too long," Charles said in a recent TV ad. "I’ll cut income taxes, cut property taxes, and end needle giveaways."

But Pingree also focused on affordability issues and sought to tie Trump-backed Charles to the president's unpopular economic policies, including Canadian tariffs that are hurting Maine businesses and consumers.

Maine is one of only two states that use ranked-choice voting, but because Pingree got more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday the runoff voting system didn't come into play.

Nationwide, Democrats won a majority of governorships for the first time in 16 years in Tuesday’s elections, including flipping Texas with the ousting of incumbent GOP Gov. Gregg Abbott by Democrat Gina Hinojosa. Democratic candidates also wrested control of governor’s mansions in Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Nevada, according to the AP.

Pingree's win also came as Democrats swept other top elected posts in Maine as part of a blue wave that helped the party wrest control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate on Tuesday.

Democrat Troy Jackson ousted five term incumbent GOP Sen. Susan Collins on Tuesday in a major upset that helped his party win a majority in the U.S. Senate in Tuesday's midterms.

Meanwhile, Pingree's mother, Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, handily won a 10th term representing Maine's 1st Congressional District on Tuesday after deflecting a challenge from Republican Ronald C. Russell, according to the AP's unofficial tally.

This article was originally published by The Center Square.