Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy defeated Republican rival McMahon in Connecticut’s Senate race to become the state’s new Senator-elect.

The Associated Press reported Murphy’s victory at 8:30 Tuesday night, settling one of the most closely-watched Senate races in the country, as it may determine majority control in the Senate. The battle between Murphy and McMahon proved to be one of the most expensive as total campaigning expenditures hit $61.6 million by late October — McMahon spent $42.6 million on her campaign and Murphy raised over $9 million for his cause.

Democrats spent $10 million in independent disbursements in the effort to maintain majority control of the Senate.

Connecticut voters were able to cast their ballots at all polling venues in the state beginning this morning. Electricity had returned to all remaining powerless locations by Nov. 5 following Hurricane Sandy.

Murphy will be the successor of the retiring independent Senator Joe Lieberman ’64 LAW ’67.