COLUMBUS -- Democratic incumbent Sanford Bishop -- representing a district spreading from Columbus to Albany to Macon -- cruised to victory Tuesday night over Republican challenger John House in the race for U.S. House of Representatives 2nd Congressional District.

“I’m just grateful that people of the 2nd Congressional District have once again trusted me with this public responsibility to go to Washington and act for and in their behalf. I pledge that I will not betray their trust,” said Bishop via phone during his campaign celebration at a Hilton Garden Inn in Albany.

Bishop easily carried Columbus, home to House, a U.S. Army retiree who lives in the Midland area of the city. Unofficial vote totals compiled by the Ledger-Enquirer showed Bishop with 34,621 votes, or 72.4 percent, compared to 13,168, or 27.6 percent, for House.

District-wide, with 26 of 29 counties reporting late Tuesday night, the incumbent’s vote total was 158,453, or 63.7 percent, with 90,385 votes for House, or 36.3 percent.

Bishop won big in the northeast corner of the district, according to unofficial state and county totals. House took 56 percent of the 4,967 votes cast in Crawford County, but that was his only victory in this area. Bishop dominated the most populous counties, getting 74 percent of the 41,847 votes cast in Bibb County and 58 percent of the 11,193 votes in Peach County.

Even in the more rural areas where House expected to do well, Bishop showed convincing strength. Taylor countians cast 3,389 votes, of which Bishop took 51 percent; but of Macon County’s 4,485 votes in the race, Bishop won 72 percent.

Further south, in Crisp and Dooly counties, Bishop racked up more wins: 53 percent of the 7,080 votes in Crisp, and 65 percent of the 4,073 cast in Dooly.

“I had a great time getting to know the people of the 2nd District, but they’ve made their choice, and so be it,” said House, who was seeking office for the first time and thanked those who supported him through the campaign.

“I’m glad people voted. That’s an important thing to go do, and we’ll all just move ahead now with Congressman Bishop,” he said.

Bishop, 65, will enter his 11th term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This is his first re-election since nearly being beaten by Mike Keown, a Southern Baptist minister from Thomas County in the 2010 campaign.