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Democrats 'to control US Senate' Democrats 'to control US Senate'
(about 1 hour later)
US Democrats appear to have won the final undecided Senate seat, giving them control of the chamber, according to US news agency The Associated Press. Democrats appear to have won the final seat needed to take control of the US Senate, the Associated Press reports.
AP declared Democrat Jim Webb the winner in the state of Virginia by 7,236 votes over Republican incumbent George Allen. AP declared Democrat Jim Webb victor in Virginia by 7,236 votes over Republican incumbent George Allen. Official results have yet to confirm a win.
Official results have yet to confirm a win for Mr Webb. Democrats have already taken the House of Representatives, and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resigned.
Democrats have already won the House of Representatives, and Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has resigned. Republican defeat in the mid-term polls has been blamed on the Iraq war, of which Mr Rumsfeld was a key architect.
The Republican defeat in the mid-term elections has been widely blamed on the war in Iraq, of which Mr Rumsfeld was one of the main architects. President George W Bush has named former CIA director Robert Gates as his new defence chief.
President George W Bush has named the former head of the CIA, Robert Gates, as the new defence secretary. The president said the Republicans had taken a "thumping" in Tuesday's vote, in which the Democrats gained control of the House for the first time in 12 years.
'Stunning victory' Correspondents say the election has changed the political landscape in the US, and the last two years of the Bush presidency will be very different from those before.
The BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says the AP call reflects the general view that it will be impossible for any recount to change the outcome. Control of the Senate and its committees would give Democrats the right to ratify treaties, hold hearings and approve presidential appointments, including those to the Supreme Court.
In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years Harry ReidSenate Democratic leader 'Tired of failures'
The election victory has been a stunning one for the Democrats, he says, in that they appear to have won both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994. The Senate race has been hanging on Virginia, where a win would give the Democrats the six seats needed for a majority.
Their aim was to take the Senate by holding onto all their own seats and winning extra ones in traditional Republican areas, he reports, which it now seems they have achieved. href="/1/hi/world/americas/6130302.stm" class="">Profile: Robert Gates href="/1/hi/world/americas/6129350.stm" class="">Bush diminished as leader href="/1/hi/world/americas/6131066.stm" class="">Press reacts to departure href="/1/hi/world/americas/6130740.stm" class="">Text of president's speech
While both parties will have 49 seats each, two independents have said they will vote with the Democrats. AP called the election for the Democrats after contacting election officials in the state's 134 localities for updated figures.
This will give Democrats control of the Senate and all committees, with the right to ratify treaties, hold hearings and approve presidential appointments, including those to the Supreme Court. Correspondents say the call reflects the general view that it will be impossible for any recount to change the outcome.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid claimed victory in Virginia.Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid claimed victory in Virginia.
"The American people have spoken clearly and decisively in favour of Democrats leading this country in a new direction," he said in a statement."The American people have spoken clearly and decisively in favour of Democrats leading this country in a new direction," he said in a statement.
"In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years.""In Iraq and here at home, Americans have made clear they are tired of the failures of the last six years."
Recount possible A victory by Mr Webb would give both parties 49 seats in the upper chamber.
The reported margin of victory in Virginia is small enough for a recount to be possible.
SENATE RACES DEMOCRAT GAINS: McCaskill takes Missouri Casey gains PennsylvaniaBrown gains OhioWhitehouse gains Rhode IslandTester takes MontanaWebb projected to take Virginia In quotes: ResultsSENATE RACES DEMOCRAT GAINS: McCaskill takes Missouri Casey gains PennsylvaniaBrown gains OhioWhitehouse gains Rhode IslandTester takes MontanaWebb projected to take Virginia In quotes: Results
But with 99% of votes now counted, it is thought to be virtually impossible for Mr Allen to make up sufficient ground to win. Two independents have said they will vote with the Democrats, which would give the party the 51 votes they need to claim a majority for the first time since 2002.
AP called the election for the Democrats after contacting election officials in all the state's 134 localities for updated voting figures. The reported margin of victory in Virginia is small enough for a recount to be possible, but with 99% of votes now counted, it is thought to be virtually impossible for Mr Allen to make up sufficient ground to win.
However, the race remains officially open while officials verify preliminary counts at local polling stations before announcing the result. Though Mr Allen may be entitled to demand a recount, aides were quoted as saying that he did not want to drag out the process and was likely to make a decision in the coming hours.
Though Mr Allen may be entitled to demand a recount, aides were quoted as saying that he did not want to drag out the process and was likely to make a decision on Thursday.
'Fresh perspective''Fresh perspective'
President Bush said that he and Mr Rumsfeld had agreed that a "fresh perspective" was needed in Iraq.President Bush said that he and Mr Rumsfeld had agreed that a "fresh perspective" was needed in Iraq.
As a key architect of the war in Iraq, Mr Rumsfeld had faced growing calls to quit as violence has continued to spiral, three years after the US-led invasion. Mr Rumsfeld had faced growing calls to quit as violence in Iraq has continued to spiral, three years after the US-led invasion.
"It's been quite a time," said Mr Rumsfeld in a short departing speech, delivered alongside President Bush. "It's been quite a time," said Mr Rumsfeld in a short departing speech.
Nancy Pelosi, the woman set to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, welcomed Mr Rumsfeld's resignation. Nancy Pelosi, the woman set to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, welcomed the resignation.
"I hope the departure of Mr Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq, signalling a willingness on the part of the president to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward," she said."I hope the departure of Mr Rumsfeld will mark a fresh start toward a new policy in Iraq, signalling a willingness on the part of the president to work with the Congress to devise a better way forward," she said.