Democrat Tim Kaine defeated Republican George Allen on Tuesday night in a close and widely watched Senate contest in Virginia.
CBS News and NBC called the race for Kaine, a former governor of Virginia and chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He ran as a pragmatic problem-solver in the important swing state and painted Allen as an ideologue wedded to the tea party.
“I’ve called Tim and congratulated him,” Allen told his supporters during his concession speech, as he thanked them. “We still remain friends personally and that’s an important thing. I’ve congratulated him and pledged my support as he takes on the task of [representing the people of Virginia].”
“It has been a long and difficult campaign,” he said. “It’s also been a joyful one.”
Kaine will replace retiring one-term Sen. Jim Webb (D).
Allen is a former Virginia senator and governor.
