The 2006 United States Senate election in Virginia was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican Senator George Allen ran for reelection to a second term but was narrowly defeated by former Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb, who earned 49.6% of the vote to Allen's 49.2%. With a margin of just 0.4%, this election was the closest race of the 2006 Senate election cycle. This was the second consecutive election for this seat where the incumbent lost re-election. Allen later unsuccessfully ran for this seat again in 2012 when Webb did not seek re-election. This is the last time a senator from Virginia lost re-election.
Background Allen, who previously served as governor of Virginia and was considered a possible candidate for president in 2008, was running for his second term. Webb, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, writer and former secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan, won the Democratic nomination after being drafted by netroots activists, such as those at the blog Raising Kaine.
Polls clearly favored Allen through mid-August, but on August 11, he was filmed using the ethnic slur "Macaca" in reference to a Webb campaign volunteer, S.R. Sidarth, who is of Indian ancestry. He also told Sidarth, "Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia," despite the fact that Sidar was born and raised in Fairfax County, and was a University of Virginia student at the time. Allen denied any prejudice in the comment, but the video was quickly spread online, and the gaffe caused his lead to shrink considerably. Still, he led in most polls until late October, when several surveys showed Webb with a lead—mostly within the margin of error. The election was not decided until nearly 48 hours after the polls closed, when Allen, behind by a margin of about 0.3%, conceded on November 9, 2006. With all of the other Senate races decided, the outcome swung control of the Senate to the Democrats.
Democratic primary Candidates Harris Miller, businessman Jim Webb, former United States secretary of the Navy
Endorsements Miller Kate Michelman, pro-choice activist Several Virginia state senators Alexandria city councilmembers
Webb U.S. Senator Harry Reid U.S. Senator Tom Daschle U.S. Senator Dick Durbin U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey U.S. Senator John Kerry U.S. Congressman John Murtha U.S. Congresswoman Leslie Byrne U.S. Congressman Owen Pickett General Wesley Clark Former State Delegate Chap Petersen Former U.S. Senator Chuck Robb and his staff
Finances Federal Election Commission reports show that in the first part of 2006, Miller raised more than twice as much money as Webb, who entered the race in February. (Miller contributed over $1 million to his own campaign, 60% of what he raised.)
Campaign The week before the primary, Miller said a Webb campaign flier characterized him in an anti-Semitic way; Webb denied this.
Results
General election Candidates George Allen (R), incumbent U.S. senator, former governor, and former U.S. representative from Virginia's 7th congressional district Gail Parker (G), Air Force veteran Jim Webb (D), former United States Secretary of the Navy
Platform Webb focused on his early and outspoken opposition to the war in Iraq, which Allen supported. In a September 4, 2002 opinion piece in The Washington Post, Webb wrote: "A long-term occupation of Iraq would beyond doubt require an adjustment of force levels elsewhere, and could eventually diminish American influence in other parts of the world." Webb's son, a U.S. Marine, served in Iraq.
Allen and Webb differed on other issues. Allen was opposed to abortion rights; Webb supported them. Allen supported George W. Bush's tax cuts while Webb said more of the benefits should have gone to middle-class Americans. Both candidates supported the death penalty, right-to-work laws, and Second Amendment rights.
Fundraising Allen retained a substantial lead in fundraising: $6.6 million on hand to Webb's $1.1 million through September 15, 2006.
Debates Meet the Press debateOn September 17, 2006, Allen and Webb appeared on NBC's Meet the Press for a debate. Part of the program's debate series on the midterm elections, the debate heavily discussed both the original Gulf War and the present war in Iraq. Host Tim Russert questioned Webb about his initial support for Allen's 2000 U.S. Senate run, as well as what led him to later oppose Allen. Russert also questioned Allen about a remark Webb made concerning his interactions with Allen at the start of the Iraq conflict. Webb asserted that he approached Allen regarding U.S. involvement in the region and cautioned against military action. Webb also claimed that Allen responded to this by saying "You're asking me to be disloyal to the president." After being questioned on this by Russert, Allen clarified by saying "No, it's loyalty to this country, and making sure that our country is unified in, in this, in this effort to disarm Saddam Hussein. That was the point." Allen also addressed what he saw as a weakness in Webb, claiming his opponent wanted to withdraw from Iraq. Webb clarified his belief that the U.S. has a commitment to ensure Iraq is stable before withdrawing, but also reasserted that a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq is not an option.
The debate likewise covered an upcoming vote on the use of coercive interrogation methods on enemy combatants. Allen stated that he had not yet made a decision on how to vote, but stated "Now, the key in all of this is I don't want to stop these interrogations. I'm not for torture, I'm not for waterboarding, but some of these techniques have been very helpful to us, whether they are sleep deprivation, or whether there's loud music. And I need to be absolutely certain that what the interrogations—interrogators are doing now—which is completely fine as far as I'm concerned, protecting Americans—will not be harmed by the proposal." Webb expressed that this was an issue close to him as a former soldier, but also stated that he did not believe interrogations should be ended completely. Webb however reaffirmed his concerns that if the U.S. abandons the Geneva Convention its soldiers will suffer abroad.
Russert questioned Webb on the recent allegations that his 1979 Washingtonian article fostered hostility towards female students at the Naval Academy. Webb responded as he had in prior press releases, expressing his regret for the repercussions of the article. Russert similarly asked Allen about a statement he made in 2000 in the pages of American Enterprise magazine: "If [Virginia Military Institute] admitted women, it wouldn't be the VMI that we've known for 154 years. You just don't treat women the way you treat fellow cadets. If you did, it would be ungentlemanly, it would be improper." Allen responded that VMI has made great progress in a co-ed curriculum, making women cadets more of a possibility than at the time he made the statement. Complete video of debate, September 17, 2006This Week debateOn September 18, 2006, George Stephanopoulos moderated a debate between Allen and Webb, as part of his program This Week on ABC. Topics included national security, Iraq, the economy, the conduct of the campaign, and other issues. Complete video of debate, September 18, 2006League of Women Voters debate''' On October 9, 2006, the League of Women Voters sponsored a debate between Allen and Webb. The format consisted of the candidates answering series of questions from the moderator, from the LWV panel, and finally from each other. Largely, the responses from the candidates did not expand on the body of knowledge already present in their television and radio commercials. The overall feel of the debate was somewhat combative, with Allen frequently going overtime on responses and a round of uncontrolled verbal jousting after Allen cited Webb's prior statements on raising taxes. Complete video of debate, October 9, 2006
Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006
Endorsement
Polling Source Date JimWebb (D) GeorgeAllen (R) GailParker (IG)RasmussenRasmussen December 9, 2005 26% 57%RasmussenRasmussen February 14, 2006 37% 49%RasmussenRasmussen March 28, 2006 30% 54%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ March 31, 2006 42% 49%RasmussenRasmussen April 19, 2006 30% 50%RasmussenRasmussen June 20, 2006 41% 51%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ June 21, 2006 44% 49%Associated Press/IpsosAssociated Press/Ipsos June 27, 2006 39% 46%Survey USASurvey USA June 28, 2006 37% 56% 2%ZogbyZogby July 15, 2006 37% 47%Zogby/WSJ July 24, 2006 41% 52%RasmussenRasmussen July 27, 2006 39% 50%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon July 30, 2006 32% 48%RasmussenRasmussen August 17, 2006 42% 47%SurveyUSASurveyUSA August 21, 2006 45% 48% 2%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ August 27, 2006 48% 47%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon September 10, 2006 42% 46%Zogby/WSJ September 10, 2006 50% 43%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 13, 2006 45% 48% 3%RasmussenRasmussen September 15, 2006 43% 50%Mason-Dixon/MSNBCMason-Dixon/MSNBC September 23–27, 2006 43% 43% 2%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 27, 2006 44% 49% 2%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ September 28, 2006 44% 49%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 29, 2006 44% 50% 2%RasmussenRasmussen October 2, 2006 43% 49%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby October 5, 2006 37% 48%USA Today/GallupUSA Today/Gallup October 6, 2006 45% 48%RasmussenRasmussen October 12, 2006 46% 49%The Washington PostWashington Post October 15, 2006 47% 49% 2%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ October 19, 2006 47% 50%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon October 23, 2006 43% 47% 2%Los Angeles Times/BloombergLos Angeles Times/Bloomberg October 24, 2006 47% 44%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 25, 2006 46% 49% 2%RasmussenRasmussen October 27, 2006 48% 49%GHY (D)GHY (D) October 26–29, 2006 47% 43%Zogby/WSJZogby/WSJ October 28, 2006 51% 47%RasmussenRasmussen October 29, 2006 51% 46%CNNCNN October 31, 2006 50% 46%RasmussenRasmussen November 2, 2006 49% 49%Reuters/ZogbyReuters/Zogby November 2, 2006 45% 44%GallupGallup November 1–3, 2006 46% 49%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon November 4, 2006 46% 45% 2%SurveyUSASurveyUSA November 6, 2006 52% 44% 2%
Results
Counties and independent cities that flipped from Democratic to Republican Prince Edward (largest municipality: Farmville) Southampton (largest municipality: Courtland)
Counties and independent cities that flipped from Republican to Democratic Alleghany (largest borough: Clifton Forge) Russell (largest city: Lebanon) Loudoun (largest borough: Leesburg) Prince William (largest borough: Manassas) Nelson (largest municipality: Nellysford) Rappahannock (largest city: Washington) Montgomery (largest borough: Blacksburg)
By congressional district Despite losing, Allen won seven of 11 congressional districts, including one that elected a Democrat. Webb won four, including two that elected Republicans.Official Results
District Allen* Webb Representative 54.4% 44.2%Jo Ann Davis 51.0% 47.7%Thelma Drake 30.7% 67.9%Robert C. Scott 54.1% 44.6%Randy Forbes 53.8% 45.1%Virgil Goode 58.3% 40.4%Bob Goodlatte 56.7% 42.1%Eric Cantor 29.9% 68.9%Jim Moran 54.8% 44.0%Rick Boucher 48.8% 50.0%Frank Wolf 44.2% 54.7%Thomas M. Davis
Controversies The controversies involved both Allen and Webb. However, a majority of these controversies negatively impacted Allen and are believed to have contributed to his defeat in the November election.
Allen's Barr Labs investment