Former Republican state senator Mark Amodei has won Nevada's special election for a seat in the U.S. House.

Amodei easily won against Democrat Kate Marshall, the state treasurer, in Tuesday's election held in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District.

The rural district has never elected a Democrat.

The former state GOP chairman had promised to fight for a balanced budget amendment in Congress and signed an anti-tax pledge.

Amodei replaces former Republican Congressman Dean Heller, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate in May to replace Republican John Ensign.

Ensign resigned over a sex scandal.