Posted on 11/09/2006 5:56:19 AM PST by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON -- Democrats wrested control of the Senate from Republicans Wednesday with an upset victory in Virginia, giving the party complete domination of Capitol Hill for the first time since 1994.
Jim Webb's squeaker win over incumbent Sen. George Allen gave Democrats their 51st seat in the Senate, an astonishing turnabout at the hands of voters unhappy with Republican scandal and unabated violence in Iraq. Allen was the sixth Republican incumbent senator defeated in Tuesday's elections.
The Senate had teetered at 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans for most of Wednesday, with Virginia hanging in the balance. Webb's victory ended Republican hopes of eking out a 50-50 split, with Vice President Dick Cheney wielding tie-breaking authority.
The Associated Press contacted election officials in all 134 localities where voting occurred, obtaining updated numbers Wednesday. About half the localities said they had completed their postelection canvassing and nearly all had counted outstanding absentees. Most were expected to be finished by Friday.
The new AP count showed Webb with 1,172,538 votes and Allen with 1,165,302, a difference of 7,236. Virginia has had two statewide vote recounts in modern history, but both resulted in vote changes of no more than a few hundred votes.
An adviser to Allen, speaking on condition of anonymity because his boss had not formally decided to end the campaign, said the senator wanted to wait until most of canvassing was completed before announcing his decision, possibly as early as Thursday evening.
The adviser said that Allen was disinclined to request a recount if the final vote spread was similar to that of election night.
After all the work you put in...step away from FR...book ticket to Tahiti...buy the new Steven King book...stay away from newspapers and cable news.
You buyin?
No, there is nothing first class about Jim Webb.
We made it through two years of the Dems controlling congress and the presidency, two years of them controllingthe congress won't do as much damge as that did.
But for Virginia it's a sad day. The only thing to look forward to is Kaine appointing Warner to Webb's seat after Webb is committed to a nuthouse.
Look on the bright side just throw it on your credit card ...with the dims in charge the end is nigh anyway.
Most successful Pres runs are from Governorships, NOT the Senate. A second term as Gov puts him in great position in 2012, IMHO.
Assuming John Warner retires, we could have a Mark Warner-George Allen race for the US Senate seat. That would be something.
Good point
Virginia desperately needs a charismatic Republican candidate for governor next time. The guys the party has put up there have just been duds. I don't think Allen is the guy, though. That 'macaca' thing has finished him here. We need a guy who had some cajones like Gilmore. There was a guy who was conservative and maintained his principles even when the RINOs here were taking shots at him.
True! That would be something!
>I'm still puzzled over Mark Warner's drop out. <
My guess is he's watching the buzzards circle John Warner, and waiting to use the Warner name recognition (even better now that he's got his own reputation) to step into that Senate seat.
And, I think he may have been offered some sort of plum by Hillary's people.
Never happen.
....but he's a first class clymer.
He's a clymer, alright, but there is nothing first class about him.
I have GOT to take a vacation!!!!!!
There are lots of folks who do, but you definitely DESERVE one.
Be very careful with that comment, m'dear...........there are lots of folks around willing to beat anyone to a pulp for just thinking that, let alone putting it in writing.
Like a long and happy life???
;-)
Gee, thanks.
We just got steamrolled, here in Virginia, by a Soros-funded, Kos-kid riddled, MSM full frontal attack on a decent man, a man who has represented our commonwealth very well as Governor, and as our Senator. We now get to endure at least one term with Mr. Bananas Are Not Just A Food, representing us in the Senate. How humiliating.
Allen may be like Gore in that both were Senators. The similarities end there.
Oh, and by the way, thanks a BUNCH Californian, for Nancy Pelosi.
Unfortunately I have neither the time nor money for a vacation right now. But I could use some distraction.
We need a good hurricane...
>We need a good hurricane...<
I think we've got more chance of a 2 foot snowstorm (bite my tongue!) before we see a hurricane.
Hard to believe he lost. That's all I will say.
Living on the coast, as I do, I'm not very enamored of your idea of a distraction...........
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