Grantham — Democrat Brian Sullivan handily defeated Republican Margaret Drye in a special election on Tuesday to fill an open seat in the New Hampshire House, winning all four towns in the Sullivan 1 district.

Sullivan, a Grantham resident, defeated Drye, 1,297-671, in the district, which is comprised of Grantham, Plainfield, Cornish and Springfield.

Sullivan, a former teacher and labor negotiator for the National Education Association’s New Hampshire chapter, enjoyed strong support from Democrats and educators.

Drye, a Plainfield resident who expressed more conservative social views on such issues as abortion rights, is a homeschooling advocate who is well-known in the Upper Valley for her work with community groups.

She also was the former president of the board of directors of the Hanover Co-op.

Sullivan will replace former state Rep. Andy Schmidt, D-Grantham, who stepped down in June to move to New London.

“I am very grateful to all of the folks who assisted with this campaign,” Sullivan said via email Tuesday night. “The most gratifying part of this experience has been the number of people that I have met while traveling in the towns of (the district). … I will do my very best to make all of the residents of Sullivan District 1 proud to have me as their state representative.”

In other New Hampshire elections, Democrat Joyce Craig unseated longtime Manchester Mayor Ted Gatsas, a Republican, in the state’s largest city.