Tuesday night's special election win for Democrats did little to tip the state's political scoreboard. But as a hundred supporters shouted inside a Western Avenue bar, it felt like one of the biggest victories for Oklahomas minority party in a long time.

Each time I heard it was an uphill battle I got more strength, said Democrat Cyndi Munson, moments after winning the open seat in House District 85. This is amazing.

For years Democratic candidates and campaign organizers pointed to Oklahoma Citys inner ring suburbs as a winnable battlefield. Changing demographics were seen as an open door for a party that holds no statewide office or majority power in the House or Senate. But in recent years Democrats were unsuccessful in when it came to wresting away a Republican seat, including in House District 85, where Munson lost to incumbent David Dank last year.

Following Danks death earlier this year, Munson announced her second campaign and found momentum as four Republicans battled in a primary race this summer.

Chip Carter, a vice president of corporate communications at Jones Public Relations, emerged from the summer primary and took a long list of political and corporate endorsements into Tuesdays special election.

Munson took home a 8-point win according to unofficial results from the Oklahoma Election Board.

This was a scary decision to try again after I had lost [last year], Munson said. But I knew I had the team to do it.

Munsons watch party attendance included other Democratic candidates who ran for election in recent years and current lawmakers.

For years, many of us have stood by and watched election night and become more frustrated and depressed and thought When is it ever going to change? House Minority Leader Scott Inman said. And then somebody like Cyndi Munson steps up and says I'll put my name on the ballot.

The 101-seat state house includes 29 Democrats, so Munsons victory does not bring much more power to Democrats. But party leaders said it could spark momentum headed into another election year in 2016.

The Democrats in Oklahoma dont pick up races, weve had a hard time retaining seats that weve held, said Andrew Rice, a former Democratic state senator. [Munsons victory] is symbolic because we felt like despite all of our struggles the demographic trends in Oklahoma City and Tulsa ... were moving more and more in a moderate direction. Munsons win was not only a positive trend for Democrats, it was also an additional female representative in a House that only has a handful.

She is not just going to be a woman [representative], she is going to be a strong voice for women and girls, said Cassi Peters, one of Munsons campaign managers. That comes from her background [working for] Girls Scouts, she has also helped start a pro woman [political action committee] to get more women elected.

Carter enjoyed endorsements from Sen. James Lankford and Mayor Mick Cornett, and was also suspected to have a financial advantage by political observers on both sides of the aisle. Munsons victory was played up by her team as a win for the underdog and a huge win for Democrats, even if it was just the pick up of one seat.

Its not just about money and endorsements and who you know; its about everybody who stopped believing in politics and what it means to lead in a state like Oklahoma, Munson said, standing on the tips of her toes as she addressed her watch party crowd. There is a chance and it's starting today.