Craig declared winner over Kistner in Minnesota's Second Congressional District rematch

Democratic U.S. Rep. Angie Craig narrowly defeated Republican challenger Tyler Kistner in a highly competitive race for Minnesota's Second Congressional District.

The race for the seat was contentious as the GOP looked to flip districts around the country for control of the U.S. House. Craig's victory comes after millions in outside spending from Republican and Democratic groups tried to influence the contest.

"I am tremendously proud of the campaign we've built over the past year and want to express my sincere gratitude to every single person who showed up day after day to make tonight's victory possible," Craig said in a statement. "It's easy to feel that our nation has become too divided to move forward, but I am committed to working in Congress to bridge those divides, find common ground and do what's best for Minnesota."

The re-drawn swing district includes suburbs south of the Twin Cities and rural areas toward Mankato.

Election results were delayed late into Tuesday night from Dakota County, which represents a large number of voters in the Second District. Kistner was ahead of Craig until the county's results came in, with Craig pulling ahead. Kistner's supporters, who had been cheering him on throughout the night, became quiet as the results flipped in Craig's favor.

In a statement, Kistner conceded the race saying "I want to congratulate Angie Craig on winning another term. This was a hard-fought race, and we gave the people a clear choice for the future of our country."

Republicans needed to net only five seats to take back the U.S. House in Tuesday's midterms, making the Second District a critical race where both major parties were invested in the outcome.

Kistner and Craig weren't the only options for voters. Legal Marijuana Now candidate Paula Overby died last month, but her name was still on the ballot Tuesday.

Staff writers Jessie Van Berkel and Eder Campuzano contributed to this report.