Democrat Joseph Salazar will become the new state house representative for District 31.

Salazar won 59.64 percent of the votes, while his Republican opponent Beth Humenik captured the remaining 40.36 percent based on unofficial results Wednesday morning.

“It has been a long road,” Salazar said at Joe Palooka’s in Thornton, where he and other Adams County Democratic Party candidates gathered on Tuesday night to watch the election results. “I started this about a year ago, and I think that is what really helped me out the most. I was able to get out early and work really hard.”

Salazar, a partner at Smith, Shelton, Ragona and Salazar LLC, said he want to bring his experience in employment law, civil rights and constitutional law to begin focusing on economic and education issues plaguing the state.

While most of his time will be focused on addressing legislative issues, Salazar said he plans to return to his law practice during the fall and summer respites.

Humenik, his Republican opponent, said she will continue her duties as Thornton city councilwoman for Ward 3 and serve out the remaining three years of her term.

Throughout her campaign, Humenik said it was a struggle to balance her duties as a councilmember and her ambitions to serve more Coloradans.

“We have all worked very hard, and when you work very hard, it’s a relief when it’s done,” Humenik said. “Is it disappointing? Yes, but people have to vote for people that they want to represent them. Tomorrow is a new day, and you just move forward — that’s the way I’ve been looking at this.”