Republican Bradley Byrne, Duke ’77, sailed to victory in a special election for an Alabama seat in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Byrne defeated Democrat Burton LeFlore, claiming about two-thirds of the vote when the race was called by The Associated Press, with 64 percent of precincts reporting.

Speaking to supporters at Moe’s Original BBQ in Mobile, Ala., Byrne promised to work for “change in Washington.”

“Not fight and not name call, but to get real results,” Byrne said. “Fight hard against the Washington establishment holding our nation back. We are a great country, but we are not acting like a great country in Washington.”

The seat became empty when Rep. Jo Bonner, a Republican, quit in August to take an executive position with the University of Alabama system.