Minnesota’s DFL Party swept the state’s two U.S. Senate seats in Tuesday’s midterm election with incumbent Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith cruising to easy victories.

With 44 percent of the vote in at 9:58 p.m., Smith led Republican opponent Karin Housley with 57 percent.

Klobuchar was declared the winner by the Associated Press at 8:38 p.m.

“The ballot was more than a ballot this election. There were big stakes and big choices and bigger ideals. Minnesotans, it is early, but it appears to me that Minnesotans voted our dreams and not our fears,” Klobuchar said.

The race was never close. Newberger is a little-known state lawmaker who struggled to raise money against the popular Klobuchar.

Republicans put far more focus on the state’s other Senate race to complete the last two years of Al Franken’s term. State Sen. Karin Housley carried the party’s hopes in that race against Democratic Sen. Tina Smith.

Less than four years after voters overwhelmingly gave Franken a second term, he was swept out of office after several women accused of him of sexual misconduct. His resignation in December triggered the contest between his replacement, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, and Republican state Sen. Karin Housley.

“I offer my sincere congratulations to Sen. Tina Smith on her victory tonight,” Housley said. “Sen. Smith and I disagree on many things but now it is time to come together and move forward for the good of the state that we all love.”

Tuesday’s election was a rarity in Minnesota, with two U.S. Senate seats on the ballot. But Republicans jumped at the unexpected chance to reclaim an office they have not held since former Sen. Norm Coleman lost to Franken by 312 votes in 2008. Housley emerged as the top GOP candidate, with her reputation as a fierce campaigner and a name recognition boost from her husband, former NHL star and Buffalo Sabres head coach Phil Housley.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.