The Democrats have taken control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, in a serious blow to Republican President George W Bush.

In the elections for state governors the Democrats also made gains, taking power in six more states, bringing their total number of governors up to 28, with the Republicans on 22.

SENATE

A late victory in Virginia has given the Democrats control of the Senate by a tiny margin. James Webb's narrow victory over Republican George Allen took his party past the winning post for control of the US's upper house.

Of the 100 seats in the Senate, 33 were up for election. The Democrats needed to gain six seats for victory.

Two independent senators make up the rest of the party's wafer-thin majority as former Democrat Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bernie Sanders of Vermont are expected to vote with the Democrats.

PARTY 2000 2002 2004 2006 Democratic 50 48 44 49 Republican 50 51 55 49 Independent 0 1 1 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The Democrats needed to pick up 15 seats to end more than a decade of Republican dominance in the House; in the end they gained more than 30, giving them a clear majority.