It was a big upset locally in the race for the 12th Congressional District as incumbent Democrat Mark Critz lost his redrawn seat to Republican Pittsburgh native Keith Rothfus.

Critz has held the seat since the passing of the late John Murtha two years ago. It's a position held by a local Democratic representative for the past four decades.

6 News reporter Maria Miller spent the night at Rothfus campaign headquarters in Pittsburgh, where supporters had a long night full of ups and down. Critz and Rothfus were neck and neck for most of the night, often within just percentage points of each other.

Rothfus' closest friends, supporters and family members packed the ballroom of the Holiday Inn in the North Hills watching anxiously as the votes started coming in. There were gasps, there were sighs and there were cheers as everyone learned that Rothfus was coming out on top. He won the race 52 percent to Critz's 48 percent.

After Critz called to concede the race, Rothfus entered the room to thunderous cheers. He took to the podium to thank everyone in attendance and then he got to business talking about the major concerns he has with America, including the economy, the national debt and the threats to Medicare.

He said he's ready to head to Washington, D.C., and get to work, but he said he won't need to become a career politician to get it done.

"I think six terms is absolutely more than enough. Twelve years is a long time, if I last that long," said Rothfus. "I think you have to go in there with a certain spirit that you're not going to be there forever and I'm certainly not intending to be in there forever."

Rothfus also thanked Critz not only for a tough and heated race but also for his hard work in the 12th District that past two years.