Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly Prevails in Narrow House Race

It's been a good week so far for Virginia Democrat Gerry Connolly. He was released from a Northern Virginia hospital after being treated for a blood clot in an artery, and the Republican who tried to deny him a second term conceded after an extremely close race.

Keith Fimian, Connolly's rival in 2008, accepted defeat in a statement Tuesday, the Washington Post reported. A few hours later, The Associated Press officially called the race for the Democrat.

Connolly's slim 981-vote margin entitled Fimian to a recount, but the Republican made no moves to request one. So Connolly, a focus of GOP efforts to retake the U.S. House, survived the bitterly fought race and will serve a second term in a swing district comprised of Washington, D.C. suburbs and rural areas.

Three other targeted Virginia Democratic lawmakers were defeated on Nov. 2: Reps. Rich Boucher; Glenn Nye and Tom Perriello. Perriello got personal help from President Obama, who appeared in his district in the closing days of the campaign, but it wasn't enough.