Sen. George Allen, R-Va., shakes the hand of Sen. John Warner, R-Va., left, as his wife, Susan, right, looks on as he delivers his concession speech in Alexandria, Va., Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006. Allen conceded defeat Thursday to Democrat Jim Webb, sealing the Democrats' control of Congress and the political downfall of a man once considered a White House contender. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
By MATTHEW BARAKAT
ALEXANDRIA, Va. Nov 10, 2006 (AP) As Sen. George Allen entered the campaign season, he anticipated smooth sailing toward an all-but-certain re-election that would bolster his presidential aspirations.
But on Thursday, suggesting that "the prevailing winds were against us," he conceded defeat to Democrat Jim Webb, ending not only his once-promising 2008 prospects but also GOP control of the U.S. Senate.
His rapid fall from political grace, aided by verbal gaffes and a nationwide Republican backlash, was complete.
Polite after a campaign that had been anything but, Allen said he would not demand a recount in a race Webb won by fewer than 9,000 votes out of 2.37 million ballots cast.
Allen said "the owners of government have spoken and I respect their decision," though a day earlier his campaign said it likely would wait for the State Board of Elections to complete its canvass before conceding.
"The Bible teaches us there is a time and place for everything, and today I called and congratulated Jim Webb and his team for their victory," Allen said.
The conservative Republican senator lost to a fellow Reagan acolyte who served as the former president's Navy secretary before becoming disenchanted with the GOP.
At a news conference and rally, Webb's supporters roared when he took his Marine son's battered combat boots from a bag and held them high above his head. Webb, whose son is fighting in Iraq, had worn the boots throughout what he called "an unnecessarily brutal campaign."
Allen chose not to demand a recount when initial canvassing of the results failed to significantly alter Webb's lead.
"I see no good purpose being served by continuously and needlessly expending money and causing any more personal animosity," he said. "Rather than bitterness, I want to focus on how best Virginians can be effectively served by their new junior senator."
Webb said Allen "was very gracious" in their conversation. He alluded to the nasty tone of the campaign, saying he told Allen that "it's vital to stop the politics of divisiveness, character assassination, distraction."
Sen. George Allen (R-VA) today conceded the senatorial race to Democrat James Webb, confirming that there would be a Democratic majority in the Senate and the House for the first time in over a decade.

With this win, the Democrats have now gained more seats in Congress than the Republicans did in the 1994 'Republican Revolution' that first brought Conservatives to control of the House and the Senate.

Webb won the Virginia seat by 7200 votes out of 2.37 million, as reported by the Washington Post. When Allen did not request a recount, that ensured a Democratic majority in the Senate.

Rumor said that Allen had hoped to use his Senate seat as a springboard to a run for the Presidency; and more rumors suggested that if Vice President Dick Cheney were forced to resign ("due to ill health") following investigations of laws broken by Bush and Cheney, that Allen had hoped to be appointed in Cheney's stead. With the loss of the Senate seat, Allen's visions of a Presidential run have become impossible.

Webb, who was a decorated Vietnam veteran and an early opponent of the war in Iraq, is quoted (by atrios at http://atrios.blogspot.com/) as saying that he was particularly concerned with issues of economic fairness and social justice:

"It was reported that I came to the Democratic party purely on issues regarding the Iraq war. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I think I and a lot of people like me had aligned themselves with the Republican party on national security issues but were always concerned about issues of economic fairness and social justice."