Thursday incumbent US senator from Virginia, George F. Allen, conceded defeat to his Democratic challenger Jim Webb in an afternoon press-conference.

"The owners of government have spoken, and I respect their decision. The Bible teaches us there is a time and place for everything, and today I called and congratulated Jim Webb", senator Allen said.

Webb led Allen by less than 1 percent, or 8,805 votes, Thursday afternoon in the last unsettled race of the 33 Senate contests on Tuesday's ballots, the Virginia State Board of Elections announced.

Mr. Allen also ruled out any call for a recount. He was told by his advisers that the numbers just weren't there and a recount would have dragged things out for weeks, CBS News reports.

"I do not wish to cause more rancour by protracted litigation which would, in my judgment, not … alter the results," he said. "I see no good purpose being served by continuously and needlessly expending money and causing any more personal animosity", he said.


Less than an hour after Virginia Republican Sen. George Allen conceded and the U.S. Senate was handed to the Democrats, Jim Webb addressed a cheering crowd.

"We have a much stronger Democratic party...We're going to work hard to bring a sense of responsibility in our foreign policy that will, in my view, result in a diplomatic solution in Iraq," he said.

After Republican Sen. Conrad Burns was defeated in Montana, the Virginia contest was the last undecided Senate race in the country, and Webb's victory tipped the scales, giving the Democrats control of 51 Senate seats and majorities in both the House and Senate for the first time since 1994.

The sweep of Congress clears the way for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., to become Senate majority leader and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to become the first female Speaker of the House.

Senator Reid told a roaring crowd, "The elections over. It's time for a change. It's time for bipartisanship, it's time for open government, transparency, and it's a time for results."