Map: Minnesota Senate results by county

(FOX 9) - Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan has defeated former sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya in the race for Minnesota’s open U.S. Senate seat.

With 99% of the votes counted, Flanagan received 53.7% of the vote to Tafoya's 43.6%, securing her victory and setting her up to represent Minnesota in Washington, D.C.

QUICK LINKS: Minnesota election results | Wisconsin election results | Balance of Power | Get more U.S. election news 

US Senate results by county

By the numbers:

Flanagan has won the race by building her victory on commanding performances in the state’s largest and most populous counties.

Flanagan took the lead in 15 counties, including Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka, Olmsted, St. Louis and Washington counties. Those counties account for some of the largest vote totals in the state.

Her strongest margins came in Ramsey County, where she led by 51.5 percentage points, and Hennepin County, where she held a 45.9-point advantage. Flanagan also led Olmsted County by 18.9 points and St. Louis County by 22.3 points.

Tafoya led in 72 of Minnesota’s 87 counties, largely in rural areas. However, Flanagan’s support in the state’s most populous counties gave her the votes needed to secure victory.

The race was close in several counties, including Anoka, where Flanagan led by 1.9 points, Nicollet, where she led by 2.5 points, and Rice, where her margin was 3.3 points.

Nearly all counties have reported 99% of their results. Hennepin County recorded the state’s largest vote total, with 664,237 votes, followed by Ramsey County with 249,770 and Dakota County with 231,084. Final results remain subject to certification.

All Minnesota election results 

Dig deeper:

Below is a roundup of other Minnesota races that were on the ballot on Tuesday. 

• 1st Congressional District
• 2nd Congressional District
• 3rd Congressional District
• 4th Congressional District
• 5th Congressional District
• 6th Congressional District
• 7th Congressional District
• 8th Congressional District
• State Auditor
• Secretary of State
• School funding constitutional amendment
• Minnesota Legislature

RELATED: Maps - how did your county vote in Wisconsin elections? 

The Source: This story uses information from the Associated Press' election results, campaign websites and FOX 9 reporting.