Allen concedes, Democrats take Senate

Republican Sen. George Allen conceded the Virginia Senate seat to Democrat Jim Webb on Thursday, giving Democrats effective control of the Senate.

"The people of Virginia ... have spoken. I respect their decision," Allen told supporters in Richmond.

With the Virginia victory, Democrats and their two nominally independent allies will have 51 seats in the Senate beginning in January, just enough for the party to gain control of the 100-seat chamber for the first time since 2002. The Democrats will also control the House for the first time since 1994. Webb defeated Allen by around 7,000 votes. Allen said he had decided to forego a recount in order to spare Virginians a protracted and partisan legal battle. Political analysts noted that Virginia recounts have historically produced swings of only a few hundred votes.