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Now that incumbent Roscoe G. Bartlett has successfully won a ninth term in Congress, he is campaigning to be the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.

As a ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Armed Services Committee for 16 years, Bartlett (R-Dist. 6) of Buckeystown has gained the seniority he needs to seek the leadership position, an aide said.

"He has already announced that he would be seeking the role," said Lisa Wright, Bartlett's press secretary, on Wednesday. "He will be campaigning with his colleagues in Congress for that position."

Bartlett, who was unavailable for comment Wednesday, cites his 20 years of experience as a scientist and engineer on defense-related projects and his interest in national security as the reasons he is seeking the job.

"He has said that the Constitution gives Congress the responsibility of national security, and no other level of government has that authority," Wright said. "With his 20 years of experience as a scientist and engineer, he felt a very special obligation to apply that experience."

The responsibility of the Armed Services Committee is to allocate Department of Defense spending. The annual defense budget involves millions of military and civilian personnel; thousands of facilities; and hundreds of agencies, departments and commands around the world. As he begins campaigning for the position, he will face his Republican colleague on the committee, John M. McHugh of New York. Like Bartlett, McHugh is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee who is also seeking the position, Wright said.

The leadership decision will fall to a special steering committee of Republican leaders.

While Bartlett mounted a new campaign on Wednesday, Tuesday was a night for celebrating.

Heading out to Beef O'Brady's in Frederick, the 82-year-old Congressman expressed gratitude to his constituents in District 6.

"I'm honored and pleased that the voters have expressed confidence in me," he said. "We have worked hard in Congress, and I may be the luckiest Congressman. … We are very pleased and honored and glad our constituents have given us another two years."

First elected in 1992, it is clear by the numbers that Bartlett resonates well with voters.

Bartlett received 176,062 votes (58 percent) to Democratic challenger Jennifer P. Dougherty's 116,455 (38 percent) and Libertarian challenger Gary W. Hoover Sr.'s 10,101 (3 percent). Dougherty, who spent Tuesday night waiting for results at her former restaurant and bar in downtown Frederick, was taking a wait-and-see attitude before conceding.

Wednesday morning was a time for reflection.

"I'm obviously so pleased that my volunteers were so committed, but it just was a very difficult district," Dougherty said. "You look at how [Barack] Obama did in the district, and it's hard to imagine with the state of the world, with the economy, with the environment, and that people in this country who were so impressed with Obama, [District 6 voters] didn't see it as a great opportunity."

District 6 spans eight counties that mostly border Pennsylvania, including all of Frederick, Allegany, Carroll, Garrett and Washington counties and parts of Harford, Montgomery and Baltimore. It's a district that is vast in size and highly conservative, largely Republican, and 92 percent white. It largely voted for Republican Sen. John McCain. Dougherty said she is unsure as to whether she will run again.

Not so with Hoover of Washington County, who also appeared on the ballot, and is already looking ahead to 2010.

"For a first-time candidate with very little money, compared to candidates with a treasure chest of money, we did better than any other Libertarian candidate in the state," Hoover said from his home Tuesday night.

Hoover and his campaign raised less than $5,000, he said.

"At the end of this thing, the campaign doesn't stop," he said. "We're already prepared for 2010. You're going to see us start to campaign in April and May of 2009. We're hoping to raise between $75,000 and $100,000. This time we just started too late."

Hoover is 50, and general manager of Herb's Quality Used Cars in Berkeley Springs, W.Va.

Dougherty served as mayor of the City of Frederick from 2002-2006. She owned and operated Jennifer's Restaurant from 1987 to mid-2008 and Dougherty's Irish Shop from 1999 to 2006.

But campaigning for office is where Dougherty draws her strength.

In February, she wasted little time savoring her win in the Democratic primary.

She immediately went to work planning how she would beat Bartlett, who easily won the Republican primary.

"I love every minute of serving in office and working to get in office," she said.

When Bartlett announced his candidacy in January, he was confident his message would help him win a ninth term in Congress.

For 16, years Bartlett has never wavered from his message - less government and fewer taxes.

Add his work on alternative energy sources to the mix, and you have a Congressman that has resonated well with voters in the 6th District.

With some Republicans in Congress losing Tuesday to their Democratic challengers, Bartlett continues to remain unscathed.

In 2006, anger about high gas prices and the war in Iraq sent voters to the polls.

Republican leaders in Congress were voted out, and a slew of Democrats were ushered in.

Bartlett easily won re-election to the 6th District.