HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) —

U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes has won reelection for a second term, fending off a challenge from David X. Sullivan, a former federal prosecutor.

Hayes, a Democrat and former national Teacher of the Year, contracted COVID-19 in September and said her family’s experience with the virus helped her see firsthand the shortcomings of the national response, including a lack of available testing.

Sullivan, a Republican, pitched himself as a law-and-order candidate and portrayed Hayes as being out-of-touch politically with the district in northwest Connecticut. Hayes said she has worked to unify people and fight for working families in the district during her first term.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) —

U.S. Reps. John Larson and Jim Himes were reelected and three colleagues in Connecticut’s all-Democratic delegation appeared to be ahead of Republican challengers early Wednesday in an election that saw Democrat Joe Biden win the state’s presidential contest.

Votes remain to be counted Wednesday.

Republican David X. Sullivan on Wednesday morning conceded his race to U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, an incumbent seeking a second term. U.S. Reps. Rosa DeLauro in the 3rd Congressional District in south-central Connecticut and Joe Courtney in eastern Connecticut’s 2nd Congressional District both declared victory. The Associated Press has not yet called the three races.

Larson defeated Republican Mary Fay, a member of the West Hartford Town Council who was coached by the congressman when he was a high school basketball coach.

This year’s election in Connecticut was marked by historic numbers of absentee ballots. Lawmakers temporarily changed the state’s strict rules for voting by absentee ballot to allow concerns about COVID-19 an acceptable reason. At least 28% of the state’s 2.3 million voters had already cast their ballots before the doors opened at polling places on Tuesday morning.

But many still turned out in person. Democratic Secretary of the State Denise Merrill predicted voter turnout might surpass the 2016 presidential election, when 77% cast their ballots.

“People are very interested in voting this year,” said Democratic Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, who said there were a “remarkably little” number of problems at the polls, considering the large turnout.

State Democrats were hoping that broad support for Biden around the state, coupled with opposition to Republican President Donald Trump, would benefit candidates for the General Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The Democrats were effective in hiding their record and wanting to have Connecticut voters only focus on what’s happening nationally,” said J.R. Romano, chairman of the state Republican Party. “I’m not someone who thought that Trump was going to win Connecticut. But, you know, it’s unfortunate that that so many ignored Joe Biden’s massive flaws.”

Early Wednesday morning, it appeared there would be some changes in the General Assembly when lawmakers return in January, although votes were still being counted in numerous districts across the state. Democratic Majority Leader Matt Ritter of Hartford said in a written statement that House Democrats “secured a solid majority and picked up additional seats.”

Democrats currently hold a 91-60 advantage. There were several close races in the state Senate as well, where Democrats now hold a 22-14 edge. Romano predicted Republicans would “probably lose some and win some” seats in the legislature.

DeLauro, who was seeking a 16th term, faced an aggressive challenge from political newcomer and real estate executive Margaret Streicker, who raised nearly $1.4 million as of Oct. 14, $1 million of it of her own. She spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of that money on TV ads, many sharply critical of DeLauro, who raised nearly $1.7 million and ran TV ads for the first time in about two decades.

“I believe the people of the 3rd district know I will fight for them and I’m not afraid of a fight,” DeLauro told reporters at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven.

Himes declared victory about 45 minutes after the polls closed, thanking supporters at a post-election event and pledging to help “restitch our civic life,” referring to the acrimony in American politics. Himes faced a challenge from Republican Jonathan Riddle.

Votes were still being counted early Wednesday in the 5th Congressional District in northwestern Connecticut, where Hayes was seeking reelection, and in the 2nd Congressional District in the east, where Courtney was seeking an eighth term in a part of the state that has become more Republican in recent years.

Each district includes one of the two Connecticut counties where Trump defeated Biden in the state. Biden won the other six.

In a written statement issued Wednesday morning, Courtney said he waited to declare victory until most precincts in the sprawling district had reported their vote tallies, noting the significant number of mail-in ballots. He was challenged this year by Republican Justin Anderson, a political newcomer and a lieutenant colonel in the Connecticut Army National Guard, as well as by two minor party candidates.

Courtney pledged to continue “working across the aisle to find a path forward on the most pressing needs for folks in eastern Connecticut.”

Hayes was facing Sullivan, a retired federal prosecutor. Late Tuesday, she issued a statement that her campaign was monitoring the vote count and their internal numbers “look very encouraging.” Hours later, Sullivan posted a statement offering his congratulations to Hayes and urging people to “work together” as the state and nation face many challenges.

As of Tuesday, 658,922 absentee ballots had been filled out and returned to town and city clerks, a figure that will likely increase. That’s in contrast to the 129,480 absentee ballots that were received statewide in the 2016 presidential election. Voters were still allowed to submit ballots up until 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

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Associated Press writers Pat Eaton-Robb in Columbia, Connecticut, and Dave Collins in Glastonbury, Connecticut, contributed.

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Find AP’s full election coverage at APNews.com/Election2020.