Burns Concedes Montana Race to Democrat

Democrat Jon Tester celebrates with family and friends, including his mother, Helen, right, as he declares victory in his election battle for the Senate seat held by incumbent Republican Conrad Burns in Great Falls, Mont., Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) (Reed Saxon - AP)

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Tester had 198,302 votes, or 49.1 percent, to Burns' 194,904 votes, or 48.3 percent.

Together, the two campaigns spent more than $12 million.

Burns had not helped his own cause, with gaffes that included cursing at a firefighting crew in a state that sees thousands of acres burned in wildfires every summer. He was first elected in 1988 as a folksy, backslapping outsider, but this year, he was joined on the campaign trail by President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Tester resisted help from the national party during his campaign.

When Burns tried to paint Tester as a liberal who wants to raise taxes and "cut and run" from Iraq, the liberal tag didn't seem to stick to the man who sports scuffed cowboy boots and a flattop haircut.

Tester portrayed himself as a Western moderate who owns guns, opposes gay marriage and has a libertarian's suspicion of the anti-terrorism Patriot Act.

He hammered Burns over his ties to Abramoff. Burns was a top recipient of campaign contributions from Abramoff, who pleaded guilty in January to corruption. Burns has since returned or donated to charity about $150,000 he receive that was connected to Abramoff. He maintains he did nothing wrong and was not influenced by the lobbyist.

Ballot-counting problems delayed results of the race by about seven hours, keeping the nation in suspense. Duane Winslow, election administrator for Montana's most populous area, Yellowstone County, said he made a computer error while tabulating absentee ballots that required officials to start the process over.

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Associated Press reporter Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this