Four-term incumbent Tom Allen cruised to a win Tuesday, earning a fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Maine’s 1st Congressional District.

With 81 percent of precincts reporting by 1:20 a.m. today, the Democrat Allen led Republican Charlie Summers 61 percent to 39 percent.

“I’m very gratified with the support I’ve had from the District 1 voters,” Allen said Tuesday evening. He pledged to continue working for health care reform in Congress.

Steve Berlin, a spokesman for Summers, said shortly after 10 p.m. that the challenger had called Allen to congratulate him on his win. Summers pledged to work with Allen, Berlin said, but added that many of the problems the challenger raised, such as high taxes, remain.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Berlin said. He did not rule out another run for elected office by Summers.

Summers, 44, of Scarborough, is a former aide to Sen. Olympia Snowe and a former two-term state senator.

Allen, 59, a lawyer, served on the Portland City Council for several years and was the city’s mayor.

Summers conducted a focused campaign, attacking Allen on his decision to resign from the House Armed Services Committee in favor of a seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The challenger also criticized Allen for maintaining just one office in the district.

Allen countered that he has developed relationships with decision-makers during his time on the Armed Services Committee to protect Maine’s defense-related industries and its military bases. Allen said the Energy and Commerce Committee has given him the opportunity to craft health care laws and to push for an energy policy based less on imported oil.

Summers pledged to open offices in York County, Augusta and Rockland in addition to an office in Portland if he were elected. Allen countered that his Portland office is sufficient, with most constituent contact coming through telephone calls and e-mails.

Even though Summers brought a more polished and organized approach to the campaign than Allen’s challengers in previous years, he faced a steep, uphill battle in trying to unseat the incumbent. Polls this fall showed Allen leading by as much as 30 percent.

Allen opposed the invasion of Iraq and has said the war has been a foreign policy disaster. But he said he believes the United States must maintain its presence in the Arab country to restore order.

Summers, a Navy reservist, supported the war, saying he believes the invasion is part of the U.S. global war on terrorism.

Allen has made health care a centerpiece of his work in Washington, though his reform efforts have been largely ignored in the last two terms. As a member of the minority party, Allen said he has worked to find ways to influence the course of legislation by linking with Republican moderates.

Summers was endorsed by former President George H.W. Bush in September, but that nod failed to gain him traction in polls.

Allen was first elected in 1996, defeating incumbent James Longley Jr. who was elected in 1994 as part of the so-called Republican Revolution led by former Rep. Newt Gingrich. The GOP seized control of the House of Representatives that year.

In 1998, Allen defeated Republican Ross Connelly and Green Party candidate Eric Greiner. In 2000, he topped Republican Jane Amero, and in 2002, Allen beat Republican Stephen Joyce.