This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/6129988.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Virginia key to US Senate control | Virginia key to US Senate control |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The balance of power of the US Senate now depends on the state of Virginia after a Democratic victory was confirmed in Montana. | The balance of power of the US Senate now depends on the state of Virginia after a Democratic victory was confirmed in Montana. |
| If the Democrats - who have already won control of the House of Representatives - maintain their narrow lead there, they will win control of the Senate. | If the Democrats - who have already won control of the House of Representatives - maintain their narrow lead there, they will win control of the Senate. |
| But with the vote is extremely close and will leave open the possibility of a recount in Virginia. | |
| This would mean the result of the election could be unclear for weeks. | |
| Democrat Jim Webb has claimed victory in Virginia with a lead of 0.3 percentage points over incumbent George Allen, but counting there continues. | Democrat Jim Webb has claimed victory in Virginia with a lead of 0.3 percentage points over incumbent George Allen, but counting there continues. |
| VIRGINIA VOTE Jim Webb (D): 1,172,411George Allen (R): 1,165,149 Results map: Virginia | |
| "The votes are in and we won," said Mr Webb, a former Naval Secretary under Ronald Reagan who later became a Democrat. | "The votes are in and we won," said Mr Webb, a former Naval Secretary under Ronald Reagan who later became a Democrat. |
| The New York Times reported that with all votes counted Mr Webb had 1,172,411 votes to Mr Allen's 1,165,149, a lead of some 7,000. | |
| But the final result in Virginia may not be officially declared for some weeks. | |
| Local election officials have begun a standard, week-long certification procedure - double-checking the vote totals for mathematical and clerical errors - after which Mr Allen will probably be able to demand a recount because of the closeness of the ballot. | |
| This could push the date for the final naming of a winner towards Christmas. | |
| Corruption allegations | |
| Mr Allen had been expected to win the state - in which he was once governor - easily. | Mr Allen had been expected to win the state - in which he was once governor - easily. |
| But his campaign suffered after he was caught on video calling a man of Indian descent a "macaca" - a macaca is a genus of monkey. | But his campaign suffered after he was caught on video calling a man of Indian descent a "macaca" - a macaca is a genus of monkey. |
| In Montana, counting was delayed after officials in Yellowstone, the state's largest county, decided to start counting all the votes again because of difficulties with the new equipment. | In Montana, counting was delayed after officials in Yellowstone, the state's largest county, decided to start counting all the votes again because of difficulties with the new equipment. |
| But just after midday local time (1700GMT) it was confirmed that Democrat Jon Tester had taken the seat from incumbent Conrad Burns - a senator for 18 years - by fewer than 5,000 votes. | |
| The Democrats had tried to paint Mr Burns as a symbol of what they called the Republican "culture of corruption", following revelations that he accepted $150,000 (£78,000) in donations from the lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who has been jailed for conspiracy and fraud. | |