Webb: Democrats Will Take Back House, Senate

ROANOKE, Nov. 6 -- U.S. Senate candidate James Webb kicked off his final campaign swing through Virginia this morning, telling supporters he is on the verge of a huge win that will help guarantee the Democrats control the Senate next year.

At a rally at a century-old fire hall in downtown Roanoke, Webb railed against President Bush's economic policies and the decision to invade Iraq. He also expressed confidence that the Democrats would prevail tomorrow.

"We're going to take back the House of Representatives. We're going to take back the Senate and with your help on Wednesday morning we're going to put the country back on the track it needs to be on," Webb told about 100 supporters in Roanoke.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) and former Gov. Mark Warner (D) joined Webb, who is appearing increasingly convinced he can beat Sen. George Allen (R). The governors and Webb also spoke at a rally in Norfolk before heading to Richmond. He will end his nine-month bid for the Senate at a rally this evening in Alexandria featuring former president Bill Clinton.

"I have a feeling we are going to win big," said Kaine, who referred to Webb as "Senator Webb" a few times today.

Webb, who trailed Allen by 16 points this summer, is now virtually tied with Allen in several recent polls and the race is one of the most closely watched Senate races in the country this year.

"This race was suppose to be a cakewalk," for Allen, Warner told the crowd. "But we have all the momentum. We are going to turn out and take back our United States Senate seat tomorrow."

Webb said of Allen, "This is somebody who should have run on his issues. But apparently he doesn't have a record to run on."

In Roanoke and Norfolk, Kaine revved up the crowd by asking, "Are you ready for a change?" -- which Webb campaign officials say is their closing argument as they try to unseat Allen.

"We got momentum because Virginians are not dumb and they are not stupid," Kaine in Norfolk. "Democrats know how to run things . . . and we got a great candidate."

Webb could get a late boost from a third candidate in the race, Gail Parker, the Independent Green Party candidate. Parker, who is receiving about 2 percent of the vote in recent polls, holds conservative views on many issues but she is running as the only advocate in the race for a high-speed rail service between Virginia cities.

Parker said last week she was considering dropping out and endorsing Allen or Webb. She later changed her mind, but she attended Webb's rally this morning in Roanoke.