Democrats seize control of House (BBC)

The Democrats are celebrating gains in the House and Senate The Democratic Party has won control of the House of Representatives in the US mid-term elections. The White House conceded the Democrats had picked up the 15 net seats needed to wrest power from the Republicans - for the first time in 12 years. The Democrats are also projected to have won four of six target Senate seats - but Virginia and Montana remain too close to call. Polls have now closed across the US, with high turnout reported. The Democrats focused on voters' anger over the Iraq war during their campaign, while the Republicans stressed their own stance on security. Democratic supporters in Pennsylvania are effusive and optimistic Jonathan Beale Reporters' blog: Live updates First Muslim congressman The BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy in Washington says the results in these mid-term elections have changed the political landscape in the US. The last two years of the Bush presidency will be very different to what has gone before, he says. With projected results still coming through, the Democrats had gained 16 House seats from the Republicans - enough to win control providing they hold their existing seats. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said the American people had "voted for Democrats to take our country in a new direction - and that is exactly what we intend to do". Profile: Nancy Pelosi Ms Pelosi - who stands to become the first female House speaker - said the Democrats would "restore integrity and honesty" to Washington and lead the "most ethical Congress in history". Presidential spokesman Tony Snow said the White House had conceded defeat in the House. "We believe Democrats will have control of the House, and look forward to working with Democratic leaders on the issues that remain foremost on the agenda, including winning the war in Iraq and the broader war on terror and keeping the economy on a growth path," he said. President George W Bush has scheduled a news conference for later on Wednesday. The speech will provide the first clue as to whether Mr Bush intends to compromise with his newly powerful opponents or fight them, the BBC's Justin Webb in Washington says. Senate gains Democratic hopes have been bolstered by wins bringing them closer to their target of six net Senate seats. It's been kind of tough out there House speaker Dennis Hastert In pictures: US mid-terms Send us your comments However, the race remained neck-and-neck after Republican Bob Corker held on to his Senate seat in Tennessee, despite a strong challenge from Harold Ford Jr. In other results: In Pennsylvania, Democrat Bob Casey Jr beat one of his party's biggest Republican targets this year, arch-conservative incumbent Rick Santorum In Ohio, where the Republican Party has been hit by scandal, Democrat Sherrod Brown won a decisive victory over incumbent Republican Mike DeWine The Senate seat in Rhode Island has gone to Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse after a closely-fought battle with incumbent Republican Lincoln Chafee In New Jersey, Democrat incumbent Senator Bob Menendez has succeeded in holding off a strong challenge from the Republicans' Thomas Kean. The race had been seen as the Republicans' best chance of picking up a seat from their rivals The Senate race in Virginia, where Democrat Jim Webb is challenging incumbent George Allen, is likely to go to a full recount, correspondents say The Senate seat in Connecticut has gone to Joe Lieberman, who stood as an independent after losing the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont amid strong anti-war feeling. He has said he will align himself with the Democrats Democrat Keith Ellison has been elected as the nation's first Muslim member of Congress, taking a House seat in Minnesota Republicans lost the Florida district of Mark Foley, who resigned after the disclosure that he sent sexually explicit messages to teenage male congressional assistants. "It's been kind of tough out there," conceded Republican House speaker Dennis Hastert, who won a 11th two-year term. While Mr Hastert won his district, he will lose his job as speaker after the Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives. SENATE RACE DEMOCRAT GAINS: McCaskill takes Missouri Casey gains Pennsylvania Brown gains Ohio Whitehouse gains Rhode Island RESULTS TO COME: Montana Virginia Voters are also choosing governors in 36 states. Democrat Deval Patrick has taken the governorship in Massachusetts, becoming the first black governor of the state and only the second elected black governor of any state. In some good news for the Republicans, Arnold Schwarzenegger has held on to his gubernatorial seat in California for a second term. And in one of a series of state referendums, voters in South Dakota have overturned a near-total ban on abortions passed by the state legislature earlier this year. Iraq 'important' Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton - who cast her own vote alongside former President Bill Clinton - has strolled to re-election in New York, as expected. Her win opens the way for a potential presidential run in 2008. In her acceptance speech, Sen Clinton said she was ready to "roll up my sleeves and get to work" in creating a "new beginning" for the country. A national exit poll for the Associated Press indicated that about two-thirds of people felt Iraq was very important to their vote. BALANCE OF CONGRESS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 435 seats - all being contested Republicans hold 229 seats; Democrats 201; one seat independent; four vacant seats Democrats need to win net 15 seats to win control of House SENATE: 100 seats - 33 being contested Republicans hold 55 seats; Democrats 44; one independent Democrats need to win net six seats to win control of Senate Q&A: US mid-terms Voting machine problems Yet even more voters - about 80% - said the economy, government corruption and scandal were very important to their votes, the survey of 8,344 voters said. Technical hitches delayed voting in dozens of precincts in Indiana and Ohio. Officials extended polling hours in six states because of problems with electronic voting machines. The new voting technology has been brought in to replace older systems, such as the punch-card machines which were at the centre of the Florida dispute during the 2000 presidential election. In Virginia, election officials told ABC News the FBI was investigating claims of voter intimidation.