TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — In a closely watched race, incumbent Sen. Rick Scott battled it out with former Democratic congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell to maintain his seat in the U.S. Senate.

By 8 p.m. on election night, Scott had won over 50% of the vote, with more than 4 million Floridians choosing to reelect him to his seat.

The outcome of the race will have major implications when it comes to the balance of power in the Senate as Democrats have previously held a slim majority.

An upset victory for Mucarsel-Powell, who in 2018 became the first Ecuadorian American and first South American born woman elected to Congress, would have helped her party maintain control of the chamber.

However, with Scott’s win, Republicans moved closer to regaining control.

Mucarsel-Powell served in Florida’s 26th Congressional District until 2021, when she lost her reelection to Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

The former congresswoman’s campaign was centered around women’s access to healthcare and protecting the environment, as well as reducing the cost of living and gun violence.

However, Scott criticized Mucarsel-Powell for her voting history showing support for aid for migrants, often referring to her as a “socialist” during the heated race.

Scott’s bid for a second term puts him in a position to succeed U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnel, who is stepping down as the Senate Republican leader.

The senator worked as a healthcare executive before running for governor in 2010. He served two terms as the 45th Governor of Florida, and then was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2018 after narrowly defeating incumbent Democratic senator Bill Nelson.

His message has focused on the economy and rising prices during Joe Biden’s presidential administration, with Scott proposing a 12-point plan to “rescue America.”

Mucarsel-Powell also took her own shots at Scott while on the campaign trail. In an attack ad released in the final days of the race, she criticized Scott for his leadership over a healthcare company that was fined $1.7 billion after a Medicare and Medicaid fraud investigation.

Altogether, the candidates raised nearly $70 million to battle it out in the Sunshine State.