DENVER -- The race for the 4th Congressional District was too close to call on Election Night but as voting tallies trickled in overnight, Republican Marilyn Musgrave appeared to be pulling ahead of Angie Paccione.

Musgrave has 46 percent of the vote to Paccione's 43 percent. Third-party candidate Eric Eidnesness has 11 percent of the vote.

"What a night. This has been a tough night for the Republicans. This is the worst year for the Repubicans since 1972, since Watergate. So we've had a big hill to climb. We're not at the top yet but I'm very confident we'll be going to get there," Musgrave said. "In this race, I had two opponents. One who had been a Reagan appointee, so really a Republican, so he took some votes there. And then we've got people who are very wealthy in this state, who put up millions of dollars against me. Had more money spent against me than any other member of Congress, by a 527. So here we go and we're still standing."

Musgrave has represented the 4th District, in the Fort Collins area, for two terms. Paccione is a state representative. Theirs was considered among the nastiest races in the state, with the two candidates trading televised attack ads.

Musgrave is perhaps best known for her push for a constitutional ban on gay marriage. Her opponents ridiculed that stance given the electorate's concern about the Iraq war, the economy and other issues. Musgrave has withstood similar attacks before and she got last-minute financial help from national party officials and President George W. Bush himself last weekend.