Democrat Tom Perriello was affirmed the winner yesterday of Virginia's 5th Congressional District seat, the last remaining undecided House race. Perriello defeated six-term incumbent Virgil Goode, a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party in January 2000.

Goode requested a recount after the initial results showed Perriello winning by just 745 votes. After a two-day recount, the Charlottesville Daily Progress reports, Perriello's lead slipped to 727 votes, and a three-judge panel overseeing the process declared him the winner.

Perriello's victory marks the third Republican seat in Virginia that Democrats picked up. Other than this Charlottesville- and South Side-based seat, Dems also took seats in the Norfolk-based 2nd District and the 11th District, located in Northern Virginia.

In Virginia, which Barack Obama won by 6 points, Democrats now control the governor's mansion, both Senate seats and six of 11 House seats. In the House, Democrats will begin the 111th Congress with a 257-178 seat majority.