Incumbent Mitch McConnell managed to hold off challenger  Bruce Lunsford in the race for U.S. Senate.

As polls began closing in Eastern and Central Kentucky, the Minority leader began emerging as the winner and headed toward his fifth term in the Senate.

 "We were ready for a tough fight and it was," said McConnell during his acceptance speech.

 The 66-year-old called the campaign "exhausting."

 Lunsford conceded the race just after 10 p.m.

 The two were in a nasty race, filled with attack ads that picked up as polls showed the race was tightening.

 The Lunsford campaign hoped high voter turnout and anti-Republican and anti-incumbent sentiment would sway voters.

"I'm disappointed but I'm not disappointed for me. I'm disappointed because there were some big things that I think a lot of us wanted to accomplish for Kentuckians.

  The Louisville businessman admitted he was outspent by McConnell.

McConnell raised $17.9 million for his re-election campaign by the end of September. 

 Lunsford put up $5.5 million of the $7.1 million for his campaign race.