AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)   Democrats have maintained control of a House seat left vacant by a lawmaker who took a private sector job.

Democratic Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said Wednesday that Democrat Sean Paulhus won the Tuesday special election. Dunlap said Bath City Council Vice Chairman Paulhus defeated Republican candidate Kenneth Sener in a 975-491 vote.

Former Rep. Jennifer DeChant announced her resignation effective Feb. 1 to head to telecommunications and media company Charter Communications. She was re-elected in 2018 and had served as representative to House District 52 since 2012.

Paulhus is set to be sworn in to serve the remainder of DeChant’s term through November 2020.