As nation watches, Webb declares victory

While the nation anticipates the official outcome of the heated Senate race in Virginia, Democrat Jim Webb is celebrating victory.

At about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, Webb declared victory over Republican Sen. George Allen at the Sheraton Premier Hotel at Tysons Corner, telling supporters, “The votes are in, and we won.”

When Webb made his declaration, reports showed he was ahead of Allen by 1 percent of the total votes with 50 percent versus Allen’s 49 percent. According to the unofficial results of the general elections on the Virginia State Board of Elections Web site, the difference between the two candidates Wednesday night was .31 percent.

Of 2,368,889 total votes in Virginia, Webb received 1,173,805, and Allen received 1,166,489. The difference gives Webb roughly 7,000 more votes. These numbers reflect 2,464 of 2,599 precincts reporting.

According to Webb spokesman Jeff Pyatt, Webb will hold a press conference today to affirm the election outcome. The Associated Press reported Wednesday night that an Allen adviser told the news cooperative the senator might hold his own conference today during which he might admit defeat.

On Wednesday, Webb told his large, demographically diverse group of supporters at the Sheraton that he was confident about victory because the votes that had yet to be counted then included votes from precincts in predominantly Democratic districts, such as the 11th District.

Webb’s supporters, including many voters from the 11th District, cheered in response, “We want Webb!” Meanwhile, Webb’s brother, Gary Webb, created a soundtrack to the hurrahs as he played bagpipes on stage.

As Webb thanked his supporters, his family stood by his side, while about a dozen Marines, many of whom had served with him in Vietnam, gathered nearby.

The election night party was not all celebration, however. From about 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., attendants watched in anxious optimism as large monitors screening CNN reported fluctuating percentages between Allen and Webb. At one moment Allen led, and then the next, Webb did.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds, who addressed the audience earlier in the night, stressed the role every vote could play in the election.

“I’m convinced when every vote is counted, we’re going to win,” said Deeds, who lost the 2005 race for state attorney general against Bob McDonnell by 323 votes. “You’ve got to keep the faith.”

Later, U.S. Rep. Jim Moran Jr., who won reelection to the 8th District seat, told attendants he knew they were anxious, but they needed to remain confident.

Moran suggested the tightness of the race between Allen and Webb was a result of Independent Green candidate Gail Parker’s running. Comparing her role to the one Ralph Nader played in the 2004 presidential election, Moran insinuated that Parker received votes that would have otherwise gone to Webb if she did not run.

Tension eased when Webb made his first of two appearances at about 11 p.m., entering the stage with his pregnant wife, Hong Le Webb, Gov. Tim Kaine and former Gov. Mark Warner.

“This is the kind of spirit that encouraged me to get into this race,” Webb said of the crowd’s commitment to wait for the election returns. “This is the kind of spirit that carried us all the way to the primary when we were outspent three-to-one. This is the kind of spirit that has kept me going every day for the past nine months, putting three years of work into nine months.”

But, he added, “It’s going to take a while to count all the rest of these votes.”