RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 7 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., and his challenger, Democrat Jim Webb, may be headed for an automatic recount under Virginia law.
With 99 percent of the vote in, Webb led All 50 percent to 49 percent with just a few thousand separating the two, CNN reported.
The Washington Post said voter turnout was moderate to heavy in the Washington suburbs of Northern Virginia, which would be good news for Webb.
In Alexandria, Arlington and Falls Church, registrars said voter turnout may have broken records for a midterm election.
Allen is expected to show strength in the other areas of Virginia, where returns are traditionally slow.
The war in Iraq was a central issue in the race, the Post said. Webb portrayed Allen as a rubber-stamp senator for President George W. Bush's war strategy -- forcing Allen to moderate his support for the war and say "mistakes have been made."
