State Rep. Jan Angel (R-Port Orchard) got a surprise on her Nov. 7 birthday.

Sen. Nathan Schlicher (D-Gig Harbor) conceded his re-election that day to the 26th District state senate post, making Angel the 24th Republican in the Senate.

Last year, two Democrats — Rodney Tom of Medina and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch —  joined the GOP caucus for control of the Senate.

Friday night’s unofficial results showed Angel (23,586) with a more than 2,800-vote lead over Schlicher (20,709), who was appointed earlier this year to the 26th District seat after Derek Kilmer was elected to Congress in November 2012. Angel collected 52 percent of the vote to Schlicher’s 48 percent.

In Kitsap County, Angel received 10,465 (52 percent) to Schlicher’s 9,465 (47 percent).

This was Schlicher’s first run for political office.

“While I am disappointed, I am not surprised,” Schlicher said. “We started out with a 20-point deficit and closed this to such a tight race in a short time despite an amazingly negative campaign by my opponent. I’m hopeful that voters will choose to support the citizen legislators, not the career politicians, in the future.”

Angel said she was “honored to have the trust and confidence” of the voters in the 26th District.

“I strongly believe in the will of the people and am pleased they did not allow an outsider from California to purchase this race,” she said.

Angel said she expected to be sworn into office as soon as the election is certified. Her assistant, Debbie Austin, will accompany Angel to the Senate.

“I met with Majority Coalition Caucus on Friday and I am in the process of nailing down my committees and my office space,” Angel said.

Angel will move into her new office next week.

The Secretary of State’s office will certify election results by Dec. 5.

The Pierce County council and Kitsap County commissioners will have to select a Republican to fill the final year of Angel’s term in the House.

Between Angel and Schlicher and their allies, more than $3 million dollars was spent to reach voters — the most expensive legislative contest in state history.

Angel is a former Kitsap County commissioner and was elected to the House of Representatives in 2008.

The latest unofficial results from several local contested races on the Kitsap County Election Division’s website from the Nov. 5 general election are:

• Port Orchard Prop. 1: Yes – 915, No – 1,995

• Port Orchard City Council Position 2: Bek Ashby – 1,686, Kim Punt – 941

• Port Orchard City Council At-Large: Jerry Childs – 1,608, Eric Gannason – 955

• SKSD Director District 3: Chris J. Lemke – 9,915, Jeff Lakin, 5,671

• West Sound Utility District Commission Position 1: James Jay Hart – 2,618, Jeannie Screws – 1,541