02/13/2008 12:56 AM ET; Updated 9:01 AM ET
CHESTERTOWN, Md. (WBOC/AP)- Incumbent Republican Congressman Wayne Gilchrest was defeated Tuesday by state Senator Andy Harris, a year after Gilchrest was one of two Republicans in Congress to vote for a withdrawal timeline in Iraq.
Gilchrest voted to go to war in Iraq but later said he regretted the decision and that President Bush bungled the war.
Harris called Gilchrest too liberal.
Gilchrest called the campaign the most intense of his political career.
He had Republican challengers just a few months after being inaugurated into his ninth term.
After hearing that he had lost, Gilchrest said he needs time to digest the news and determine how he feels about it.
Declaring victory in a speech just after midnight, Harris congratulated his opponents for a "hard and well-fought race" and noted the race was a discussion about ideas and the future of the Republican Party.
Speaking to a crowd of cheering supporters, Harris said, "My mother couldn't be here but I called her and she congratulated me. But only in America could this son become a physican, a state senator and in fact, now the Republican Party's nominee for the First Congressional District."
Gilchrest's loss threw attention to the winner in the Democratic primary, Queen Anne's County State's Attorney Frank Kratovil, who garnered 40 percent of the vote.
But Harris said he would hang on to the majority-Democrat district. On Wednesday morning, E.J. Pipkin, who came in third in the GOP primary, conceded the race to Harris and pledged his support to help Harris win in November.
Andy Harris announces his victory in Maryland's 1st District Congressional GOP primary. (Photo: WBOC)
Wayne Gilchrest speaks Tuesday night. (Photo: WBOC)
Frank Kratovil, winner of Maryland's 1st District Congressional Democratic primary. (Photo: WBOC)
