WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Earl Pomeroy has won a ninth term in the U.S. House, defeating Republican challenger Duane Sand.

An Associated Press exit poll of voters showed Pomeroy with broad support: female voters, who made up slightly more than half of the electorate Tuesday; both liberals and moderates; college graduates; voters who disapprove of President Bush's performance; and people with annual family incomes of less than $100,000. Sand got the support of conservatives, but they made up only about a third of the electorate.

Pomeroy, 56, has coasted through his last three elections for U.S. House, also defeating Sand in 2004 and GOP challenger Matt Mechtel in 2006 with 66 percent of the vote. It was Sand's third campaign; he lost to Pomeroy in 2004 and Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad in 2000.

In the campaign, Pomeroy advertised his role on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee, touting his experience on farm and finance issues.

He also attempted to hit Sand for his ties to Americans for Prosperity, a conservative watchdog group, describing it in campaign ads as "radical."

Sand focused on the country's economic woes and promised to help fix a system in Washington that he called morally corrupt, criticizing Pomeroy for his support of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout package that passed the House in early October.

Pomeroy voted twice for the financial rescue measure, and he said doing nothing was not an option. Sand argued the bill was rushed through without adequate protections for taxpayers.

The eight-term incumbent, a Valley City native, is a former state representative and state insurance commissioner. He was elected to the House in 1992.

Sand, 43, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, served as a lieutenant commander in the Navy and served on three nuclear submarines. He is the commanding officer of a Naval Reserve submarine unit.