Senior Kristen McMullen spent Election Day in Madison surrounded by a crowd of Democrats into the early hours of Wednesday morning until they were confident their candidate, Attorney General Jim Doyle, had won the governor’s race.

When the final announcement came of Doyle’s victory, it didn’t surprise the president of UW-Eau Claire’s College Democrats.

“You could feel a change coming and everyone was ready for something to happen in Wisconsin,” McMullen said. “Everyone knew Doyle could do it.”

Doyle took 45 percent of the vote, incumbent Republican Gov. Scott McCallum 42 percent, Libertarian Ed Thompson 10 percent and Wisconsin Green Jim Young 2 percent.

Doyle said in his victory speech that he wished the campaign, which contained much bickering between he and McCallum, had been more positive.

Rodd Freitag, Eau Claire associate professor of political science, said he thinks McCallum’s harsh ads toward Doyle is what kept McCallum in the race.

“McCallum knew he wasn’t going to win by being wildly popular himself,” Freitag said. “So the way he made the race close was by attacking Doyle and getting people to think negatively about Doyle.”

In his post-election speech, Doyle said McCallum was “very gracious” while congratulating him and that everyone should respect McCallum for his many years in public service.

Doyle also called for Democrats and Republicans to work together to make future campaigns more focused on state issues and for everyone to work for a better state.

“A new government is chosen,” Doyle said. “Now let us move forward together . Let us reclaim Wisconsin’s greatness together.”

Junior Kara Kangas, vice president of College Republicans, also stayed up late Tuesday waiting for the election results. She said she wasn’t surprised by the results, just disappointed.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll try to raise taxes,” Kangas said of Doyle, “and I don’t think he will be able to keep all the promises that he made during the campaign.”

In his concession speech, McCallum urged his supporters to help Doyle improve the state.

Doyle made a guarantee not to disappoint.

“My friends, I’ll make one promise, above all others,” he said. “I won’t let you down.”

Thompson, who hosted a gathering at his supper club in Tomah, conceded the race Tuesday night saying, “What we did, we did with no money,” comparing his campaign to the major parties’.

This has been the most expensive election in Wisconsin’s history. According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, as of Oct. 21, Doyle had raised $4.4 million, McCallum $6.2 million, Thompson $292,000 and Young $17,500.

The Thompson campaign’s 10 percent tally became the state’s highest vote percentage by any third-party governor candidate in 60 years. Also, by finishing with at least 10 percent of the vote, the Libertarians can appoint a member to the state Elections Board.

Thompson said it shows that third-party support is growing in the state.

“We let everyone in Wisconsin know that there’s another voice here,” Thompson said. “There’s another voice that has to be heard.”