MADISON, Wis. — Longtime Democratic Rep. Ron Kind survived a stiff challenge Wednesday from a former Navy Seal to win his 13th term in Congress.

Kind defeated Derrick Van Orden with about 51% of the vote to retain his seat representing western Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District. The race was tight throughout Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, with Van Orden winning most of the district's rural counties but Kind taking Eau Claire and La Crosse counties, the district's two major population centers.

Kind, a La Crosse native and former Harvard quarterback, has represented the district since 1997. He co-founded the Upper Mississippi River Congressional Caucus and the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus.