Like the president-elect whose policies he so much despises, Jason Chaffetz started his campaign run nearly two years ago, crushed a well-financed, establishment primary opponent and then breezed through a general election.

"That is a loud and clear message that we have to change the way we have to do things in Washington, D.C.," said Chaffetz, the congressman-elect from Utah's 3rd District.

Chaffetz defeated Constitutionalist Jim Noorlander and Democrat Bennion Spencer by securing 66 percent of the vote. Spencer received 28 percent, and Noolander 6.

The Alpine resident, who doesn't live in the district he'll be representing, cut his political teeth as Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s first chief of staff. He nearly ousted now-outgoing Republican Chris Cannon at the GOP convention in May before handily beating the six-term congressman in June's primary.

He was the center of a to-do during the campaign when he was criticized by Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for suggesting that illegal immigrants who have committed crimes be kept in tent cities.

Chaffetz has taken tough stances on immigration, including telling the Herald when he announced his campaign more than a year ago that all illegal immigrants would have to leave the country.

"They're going to need to go home," he said at the time.

Chaffetz says he will focus on fiscal discipline, limited government, accountability and national security.

But a junior congressman from the reddest district in the country isn't likely to have a major impact in a Congress dominated by Democrats. At least not right away.

"He'll be effective at a kind of stylistic and rhetorical level," said BYU political science professor Kelly Patterson, who points to Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson as a model.

Matheson spent years forming alliances with Republicans in order to get things done.

"Sometimes if you're a firebrand, sometimes if your rhetoric is a little too partisan, then it's hard to form those alliances," Patterson said.

Chaffetz says he'll reach across the aisle whenever possible, but adds that he was elected to be the voice against moves toward "socialism." He says that Republicans ignored the party's platform over the past decade.

"Until others join me in returning to those principles, they will suffer the consequences," he said.

Chaffetz's Democratic opponent took one last jab as he bowed out.

"It is what it is. We fought the good fight," Spencer said. "I'm really glad that we have a new president. President Obama. ... The night's not a total loss."

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• Cannon personally sued for unpaid campaign work