LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Republican Mitch McConnell defeated Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes on Tuesday in a race that positioned him to become the next majority leader of the U.S. Senate.

The expensive, hard-fought race was called by CNN as soon as the polls closed, with McConnell leading 55 percent to 42 percent with just 8 percent of precincts reporting. He ultimately won by 15 points, among the best showings of his career. In his victory speech, McConnell said his race against Grimes was not about the two candidates vying for a Senate seat rather “a government that can’t be trusted” and is “too busy imposing its view of the world on people who don’t share that view.”