U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik delivers a joyous re-election victory speech Tuesday night at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. (Enterprise photo — Antonio Olivero)

GLENS FALLS — U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik relived the same victory scene from 2014, to the tune of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” amid the grand chandeliers and massive American flags at the Queensbury Hotel.

Only this time, the celebration was grander and the victory was bigger.

“Two years ago we made history right here, and I am so excited to stand in front of you two years later,” she said at the podium shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday, after the music and applause died down. “We made good on our promises to bring new ideas and a new generation of leadership to deliver results on behalf of our constituents in this district. Woo!”

The Republican was again a runaway victor as she secured re-election to represent the North Country’s 21st Congressional District Tuesday with 63.1 percent of the vote.

She won all 12 of the counties that comprise the largest congressional district in New York, something she didn’t accomplish in 2014 when Democrat Aaron Woolf won Essex and Clinton counties. The closest result was in her opponent Mike Derrick’s home county of Clinton, where Stefanik still defeated him convincingly, 53.2 percent to 40.8 percent.

Derrick, a retired Army colonel from Peru, provided an emotional concession speech in Plattsburgh shortly after Republican state Sen. Betty Little introduced Stefanik onstage at the Queensbury Hotel.

Stefanik topped Derrick overall by 35.24 percent of the vote, or 91,747 votes. With her 164,264 vote total, not counting absentee ballots, Stefanik more than doubled Derrick’s tally of 72,517 votes. In 2014, she defeated Woolf 96,226 to 59,063.

Part of the difference this time around was a weaker showing by Green Party candidate Matt Funiciello. In his return attempt to take on the two major parties and improve on the 11 percent of the vote he secured in 2014, the Glens Falls bakery owner dropped down to just 4.4 percent, with 11,953 votes total.

The overall turnout during a presidential election year may not have changed who the victor was in District 21, but it had ramifications on its election numbers. Turnout jumped by 43.4 percent over 2014, as 260,367 people voted compared to just 181,558 in 2014. That 2016 turnout equates to 64 percent of the 406,198 registered active voters in the district.

The blowout win in a presidential election year was a statement for Stefanik and the robust re-election infrastructure her campaign put together across the North Country over the past five months. Her communications director Lenny Alcivar said 300,000 district voters were reached: 285,000 by phone and 15,000 by door.

“Elise’s goal was to reach an extra 100,000 voters this year who did not vote in 2014,” Alcivar said as results trickled in. “Our campaign decided from the beginning we’d put a premium on voter outreach and data, and we believe that will be one of the reasons why our campaign will win by such high margins. And it’s why Mike Derrick, after tonight, will have run the most anemic political campaign in the history of the 21st District.”

Derrick conceded to Stefanik with a brief speech at Democratic headquarters at the American Legion post in Plattsburgh. He told the Press-Republican that he thought he ran a good campaign, but it was not enough to overcome Stefanik’s machine.

“She is a professional, polished politician, and it was tough to go against that,” he said. “And it’s tough to go up against that money when you get outspent three to one.”

Derrick added that it was a privilege to run for Congress and he may be back someday.

“A lot of people invested a lot in me, and I am grateful to them,” he said. “Congratulations to Elise. She ran a tough campaign.”

Forty-four years Stefanik’s senior, Little also won re-election Tuesday night by a landslide margin, as did fellow Republican incumbent Dan Stec, Assemblyman for the state’s 114th District. Each defeated a Green Party challenger by more than 55 percent. Little beat  Olmstedville teacher Steve Ruzbacki, and Stec defeated  Glens Falls head shop owner Robin Barkenhagen.

Little was the opening act for Stefanik Tuesday night. Before the veteran Republican legislator introduced the young congresswoman, Little hinted at something many members of their national party think of Stefanik, something that was validated by the election results Tuesday: Stefanik is a key part of their plan for the future.

“We see a great future with Elise,” Little said, “running for as long as she wants to be our congressperson, till she moves up to something else, of course.”