Democrats Take Senate After Virginia Win

The Republican senator George Allen conceded defeat in the Virginia Senate race today, giving the Democrats full control of Congress.

Mr Allen trailed the Democrat challenger Jim Webb by around 8,000 votes out of 2.3m cast in what had been an extremely tight battle. Mr Allen had initially said he would fight on, raising the prospect of recounts and legal battles.

"The Bible teaches us there is a time and place for everything, and today I called and congratulated Jim Webb," Mr Allen said.

"I do not wish to cause more litigation that would not alter the results," he said, adding that he saw "no good purpose being served by continuously and needlessly expending money and causing any more personal animosity."

The Virginia contest was the last undecided Senate race and the win gives the Democrats 51 out of the Senate's 100 seats.

Connecticut's Joe Lieberman and Vermont's Bernie Sanders were both elected as Independents, but will vote with Democrats.

Democrats also captured the House of Representatives, giving the party control of Congress for the first time since 1994.

Mr Webb, a former Republican who served as navy secretary in the Reagan administration, has already declared victory in Virginia, assumed the title of senator-elect and begun organising his congressional staff.

The Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in the midterm elections, which have dramatically reshaped the dynamics of power in Washington.

Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, in line to become the Senate majority leader when the new Congress convenes in January, today spoke of the need for change.

"In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years," he said. The US president, George Bush, is attempting to build bridges with Democrats, with whom he will be forced to work much more closely if he is to do much in his remaining two years in power.

Mr Bush yesterday admitted that voter discontent with Iraq played a role in the election loss, which he said was a "thumping". He also acknowledged that his Iraq policy was "not working well enough, fast enough".

Mr Bush today said Donald Rumsfeld, whose resignation he announced yesterday, would continue to work as defence secretary until the former CIA director Robert Gates is approved as his successor.

Mr Rumsfeld today delivered a speech on terrorism at Kansas State University, telling his audience: "We are engaged in war like no other before, that even now is not fully understood."