Sen. Tom Holland (D-Baldwin City) talks with Lawrence school board member Kristie Adair during early voting returns at the Douglas County Courthouse on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016.

Democratic Sen. Tom Holland narrowly won re-election Tuesday night, edging out Republican challenger Echo Van Meteren, 51-49 percent.

Van Meteren, who was making her first run for public office, is the wife of the longtime Kansas Republican strategist Kris Van Meteren, a principle in the consulting firm Singularis group.

According to unofficial returns Tuesday night, Holland held onto the seat by a margin of fewer than 900 votes out of more than 32,000 votes cast.

Holland, an IT consultant from Baldwin City, currently serves as the ranking Democrat on the Senate tax committee.