Kaine tops Allen in heavyweight Senate race

Democrat Tim Kaine surged to victory over Republican George Allen in one of the most-watched U.S. Senate races in the 2012 cycle.

Kaine received 52.4 percent of the vote in the two-way race to defeat Allen’s 47.5 percent by 178,000 votes.

Allen ran up huge margins in western Virginia, including Augusta County, where Allen received 70.9 percent of the vote and outpolled Kaine by 13,300 votes, and Rockingham County, where Allen received 70.8 percent of the vote and defeated Kaine by 14,300 votes.

Kaine won majorities in Staunton and Harrisonburg – taking Staunton with 51.7 percent of the vote for a 400-vote margin, and Harrisonburg with 55.9 percent of the vote for an 1,800-vote margin.

Allen won the City of Waynesboro with 55.1 percent of the vote and a 900-vote margin.