OSHKOSH – Standing on stage in a hangar filled with historic airplanes and flying machines, Republican Ron Johnson gave his victory speech after winning a hardly-fought race for U.S. Senate Tuesday night.

The Eagle Hangar at the EAA AirVenture museum was filled with Johnson supporters as well as airplanes on Election Night as the Oshkosh businessman achieved victory over incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold.

Johnson supporters erupted into fist-pumps and applause when a big screen in the hangar displaying Fox News interrupted regular election coverage to call the race for Johnson around 9:30 p.m.

“Tonight we can celebrate, but tomorrow we start the hard work,” Johnson said shortly after Feingold conceded the election around 11 p.m.

Johnson said he takes the responsibility of representing all of the people of Wisconsin very seriously, regardless of how votes were cast on Election Day.

In his acceptance speech, Johnson highlighted the free market system as a tool to put the nation’s economy back on the right track.

“We need to restore fiscal sanity to this nation,” Johnson said, adding the first thing that needs to be done is to repeal the health care bill.

Tom Poberezny, a fellow Oshkosh businessman and president of the EAA, introduced Johnson as a “citizen legislator” who made a decision other citizens may not have been able to.

“Many of us criticize the decisions of those who lead us in Washington, but few of us act. Ron Johnson has,” Poberezny said.

While waiting for election results, supporters chanted “Ron, Ron, Ron,” responding cheerfully to an image of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on the big screen announcing the projected impact of Republican victories in elections across the country.

Johnson’s lead, already predicted by multiple polls in the final weeks leading into the election, began early as voters left the polls.

Preliminary exit poll results awarded Johnson an early 5 percent lead, but as districts began reporting once the polls closed, his lead slowly became more commanding.

With only a small fraction of districts reporting – around 19 percent just after 9 p.m. – Johnson had already claimed 47 percent of the vote over Feingold.

As the polls closed and results from across the nation flashed onto a wide screen beside the stage, the crowd cheered each new Republican victory with vigor.

When the gubernatorial election was called in favor of Republican candidate Scott Walker a little after 9 p.m., Johnson supporters clapped and cheered for over a minute.

The crowd of supporters in the hangar milling around beneath planes and a vast painted wall map of the U.S. was mixed, ranging from men in suits and women in formal dresses to individuals in jeans and camouflage.

A relative political unknown, Johnson joined the Senate race less than a week before the state GOP convention in May. However, he still managed to claim over 92 percent of his party’s endorsements for the Senate candidacy over several other Republican hopefuls.

The man of the hour did not appear among supporters until after Feingold’s concession speech, during which Johnson supporters in the hangar booed intermittently.

After the election was called and supporters awaited Johnson, a spokesperson said certain “protocol” had to be followed first before he would appear.

However, he brought another important item to the crowd’s attention:

The party ran out of beer halfway through the night, the spokesperson announced to good-natured booing, which turned to cheers as he assured the crowd more beer was on its way.

Eventually, Johnson’s daughter led the room in the national anthem and Johnson took to the stage, describing his vision to get country back on a firm financial track.

Johnson ended with a short prayer after describing the American spirit as alive, even if it is currently “under peril.” He plans to work to preserve that spirit for future generations, he said.

“That is why one guy from Oshkosh, a husband and a father, decided to step up to the plate and run for U.S. Senate,” Johnson said.

The new senator-elect is getting started quickly, with a press conference announcing his plans for transition scheduled for 11 a.m. today in Oshkosh.