CHEYENNE -- Republican gubernatorial challenger Ray Hunkins conceded the race to incumbent Gov. Dave Freudenthal at 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

"I've just talked to Governor Freudenthal and congratulated him on his overwhelming victory," Hunkins said in a telephone interview from his office in Wheatland. "The people of Wyoming have made their choice, and I respect their collective decision."

With 81 percent of precincts reporting, Freudenthal had 70 percent while Hunkins, an attorney and rancher, had 30 percent.

Earlier in the evening, Freudenthal said he would take victory as marching orders from the citizens to continue governing the state as he has for the past four years.

Freudenthal said he expects to face the challenges of the next four years by taking the same approach he's taken during his first term: "Asking people to put Wyoming first and to work toward solving the problems."

Hunkins said he had congratulated Freudenthal on a well-run campaign.

"The governor is without question one of the most skilled politicians in the Rocky Mountain West," Hunkins said.

Hunkins said that he hopes the Legislature and the governor will consider some of the ideas he brought forth during the campaign, such as a renewed effort to fight methamphetamine and ideas for luring new businesses to diversify the state's economy.

Freudenthal said his proposed budget for the coming legislative session will continue to balance savings and investment.

"We will focus on infrastructure needs, work force development," Freudenthal said. "I actually believe that over the next four years that health care is going to become a larger and larger issue in this country, and hence in this state."

Freudenthal noted that the state saw a reduction in federal highway funding this year, and said he expects that it will increasingly fall to Wyoming to figure out how to offset declining federal funding.

Freudenthal's overwhelming victory was in stark contrast to the narrow win he had four years ago. In 2002, Freudenthal received 92,662 votes -- just under half of the popular vote. Former Wyoming House Speaker Eli Bebout received 88,873, while Libertarian Dave Dawson received 3,924.