Incumbent Republican David Hastings III of Fryeburg appeared to have successfully defended his District 13 Senate seat against Democratic challenger Laura Ordway of Bridgton.

“I’m feeling good about the race,” Hastings said Tuesday night.

While he would not call it a victory, Hastings said that early results were very promising.

Naples, Paris, Harrison and Oxford had all reported significant leads for Hastings.

“I’m pretty optimistic right now, and I’d be very surprised if these numbers don’t hold up,” he said.

Incumbent Hastings faced a stiff challenge from Ordway, a self-described moderate Democrat who said her top priorities were lower business taxes, support for seniors, education, environmental protection and improved constituent services. Ordway has worked as a wilderness guide and has strong ties to the environmental community.

Ordway carried her home town of Bridgton with 1,186 votes to Hastings’ 1,055.

“The towns in my end of the district have not come in yet, and those are towns that I have done very well in,” said Hastings, who hails from Fryeburg.

Hastings said that the message he heard from the voters this year was an overwhelming desire for change.

“It’s the same thing that we heard three years ago in the presidential election,” Hastings said. “People are still waiting for change. The economy has people worried. We’ve had 30 years of Democratic control in Maine, and I think the people understand they have to hold the Democrats accountable, whether they like them or not as individuals.”

As of 10:30 p.m., with five of 14 towns reporting, Hastings led Ordway by 4,949 votes to 4,216.

District 13 includes Baldwin, Bridgton, Harrison, Naples, Sebago, Brownfield, Denmark, Fryeburg, Hiram, Norway, Otisfield, Oxford, Paris and Porter.