MIDDLETON – After 18 years of service in the United States Senate, Senator Russ Feingold taught a lesson in losing with class after last night’s election results were announced.

Oshkosh businessman Ron Johnson defeated the three term senator with 53 percent of the vote.

“The people of Wisconsin have spoken, and I respect their decision.” Feingold said to the attendees of his election night party, who listened raptly, many with tears in their eyes. “I have called Ron Johnson…and wished him well as our senator.”

Feingold added he offered Johnson both his support and the support of his staff in the transition into office. With the election too close to call as polls closed, partygoers milled around the room, spoke with campaign staffers and tensely followed poll results on multiple television monitors throughout the room.

Feingold spokesperson John Kraus told The Badger Herald one goal of the campaign was to draw a large amount of the 18-to-29 year old voters who came out to vote for President Barack Obama in 2008. The exit polls, he said, showed strong turnout on college campuses, giving the campaign hope.

“The closeness of this race in particular woke up a lot of young people,” Kraus said.

However, the high turnout on campus was of little consequence, as Feingold conceded the election just more than three hours after the polls closed.

Though Feingold said representing Wisconsin was the “greatest honor of his life” and expressed regret at not being elected for a fourth term, his speech was one of gratitude.

He was not alone in his gratitude, as many in the audience did not allow him to continue before more than four people individually answered “thank you” to the senator.

Finally, Feingold told the crowd while he was not reelected, his and their work is not done.

“It’s on to the next fight. It’s on to the next battle. It’s on to 2012, and it’s time for our next adventure!” he yelled, closing with the state motto, “Forward!”