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ALEXANDRIA, Virginia - Virginia Republican Sen. George Allen on Thursday conceded defeat to Democrat James Webb, giving the Democratic Party a majority in both houses of the US Congress for the first time in 12 years.
The announcement by Allen ended two days of uncertainty after Tuesday's elections in which Democrats swept Republicans out of control in the US House of Representatives and were just one seat away from controlling the Senate pending the result from Virginia.
Allen trailed Webb by nearly 9,000 votes of the 2.4 million cast in Tuesday's election, according to state electoral figures. Webb scheduled his own announcement to follow Allen's appearance and Democrats on Capitol Hill scheduled a rally.
"In this season, the people of Virginia, who I always call the owners of the government, they have spoken and I respect their decision," Allen told supporters.
"Today I called and congratulated Jim Webb and his team for his victory," he said. Allen said even though the final tallies were close enough to allow for a recount, he did not want to cause further rancor with prolonged litigation.
Control of the US Senate hinged on the final race in Virginia, where Webb had claimed victory and several media outlets, including television networks NBC and CBS and The Associated Press, have declared him the winner.
Democrats won the House outright in Tuesday's elections and had taken 50 seats in the Senate, leaving Republicans with 49.
The Virginia victory gives Democrats the 51st seat in the 100-seat Senate and complete control of Congress for the first time in 12 years. It will mark the first time they have controlled both houses during Republican President George W. Bush's six years in office.
Allen, a former Virginia governor and son of a famous professional football coach, was first elected to the Senate in 2000. He began the 2006 campaign as a heavy favorite to win reelection, and there has been strong speculation he would seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
But a series of missteps and growing voter discontent with Bush and his Iraq war policy began closing the gap with Webb.
The troubles started in August, when Allen testily referred to a Webb campaign aide as "macaca" -- an African monkey whose name is sometimes used as a racial slur -- and said, "Welcome to America." The aide was of Indian descent, and the retort sparked charges of racism.
Then, in a televised debate, Allen refused to acknowledge his Jewish ancestry and raised questions about whether he was embarrassed about it.
Webb, President Ronald Reagan's secretary of the Navy, had been a Republican until recently switching parties.
Initially shunned by some in the party for being insufficiently Democratic, Webb gathered support as Allen stumbled and the national Democratic Party started pumping money into the race.
- REUTERS
