Gretchen Whitmer reverted to a little girl as she poked her father in the side and asked, "What are you doing? What are you doing?"

Dick Whitmer turned and smiled slyly at his daughter.

"It's not too late to change my vote," he joked with the his daughter.

Four generations of Whitmers gathered to show their support for Gretchen as she celebrated her re-election to the state House of Representatives on Tuesday night at her East Lansing home.

With 93 percent precincts reporting, the Democrat triumphed with 63 percent of the vote over her Republican opponent Larry Ward, who had 37 percent of the votes.

"I think she is super," Ester Whitmer, Gretchen's 88-year-old grandmother said.

"She could make a lot more money at a law firm, but she is more interested in helping people."

It seemed to be no surprise to the more than 30 close friends and family who came to eat and drink with Gretchen as she watched the election results pour in.

Although she spent her freshman term representing the 70th District, Whitmer will spend the next two years in the state Legislature representing the 69th District because of redistricting.

"I am not the average person in the Legislature." said the 31-year-old.

"There's frankly a lot of males, and when you are a woman or a minority, you tend to get heard more."

Whitmer said she plans to use her voice to help mend the state's budget without harming education.

"We're in terrible budget problems right now and we have to make tough decisions," she said.

"I want to work with the budget and look for long-term solutions. We've been putting Band-Aids on a gaping wound and we need to stop ignoring that."

Whitmer served on the House subcommittee for higher education appropriations during her freshman term and said she plans to join the panel again. She will be an up-and-coming veteran in a chamber that is losing 21 percent of its members to term limits.

Despite his loss, Ward spent a long Election Day campaigning hard as he had for weeks.

"When people walk by, I just say thanks for voting," said the Williamston native, while he huddled under a large umbrella outside Donley Elementary School, 2961 Lake Lansing Road.

"One gal called me over to her car and said she voted for me because she saw me standing out here.

'That shows extra effort,' she said."

Ward said Tuesday night that he had no comment about his race, but said earlier in the day he isn't ruling out plans for another run for the Legislature, although he'd hoped he would be able to do it next year as an incumbent.