United States Democrats win House majority

November 8, 2006

House of Representatives
The United States Democratic Party is projected to win control of the United States House of Representatives, the lower house of the United States Congress, the federal legislature. The Republican leadership has conceded defeat.

Senate
In the races for the 33 open seats of the United States Senate or upper house, the Democrats are projected to win five of the six seats they need to gain a majority. Several races are too close to call.

The key race in Virginia, upon which the outcome of majority control of the Senate may rest, Republican incumbent George Allen was asked to concede on Wednesday by Senator and chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Charles Schumer. Allen's opponent, Democratic challenger Jim Webb garnered an unofficial win by the slim margin of 7,000 votes in over 2 million cast.

By state law, the Virginia State Board of Elections will perform a vote recount when election results are within one percentage point difference between candidates. The time table for the election to be certified November 27. The losing candidate has 10 days from the certification to appeal.