begin 2006, which was to be a year of a Congressional midterm election. The success of Kaine and Warner in rebuilding the Democratic Party in the Republican-leaning state was rewarded with Kaine's response to President Bush, which highlighted the competence of Virginia's Democratic administration with the perceived incompetence of the Bush Administration in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The political success and strength of Virginia Democrats would be heightened the following January, when newly elected Virginia Senator Jim Webb would be chosen to deliver the Democratic response to the 2007 State of the Union address. In continuing the tradition of a Democrat from a red state delivering the Democratic response, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius gave the response to the 2008 State of the Union address. Webb's election over incumbent Senator George Allen in the 2006 Virginia Senate election tipped control of the United States Senate to the Democratic Party for the first time in four years and, with the election of a Democratic majority in the US House of Representatives, resulted in the first Democratic-controlled Congress in twelve years. References 2006 in American politics 2006 in Virginia 2006 speeches Democratic Party of Virginia Political events in Virginia History of Richmond, Virginia January 2006 events in the United States Presidency of George W. Bush Reactions to 2000s events Tim Kaine