The opposition Republicans in the United States have won victories in two key elections for governor, one year after Barack Obama won the presidency.
Mr Obama had campaigned in both states for his party's candidates. In Virginia, the Democratic gubernatorial hopeful, Creigh Deeds (left), wept after he was easily beaten.
Virginia's victorious candidate, Bob McDonnell (right), became the state's first Republican governor in eight years.
In the traditionally Democratic state of New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie, a former corruption-busting federal prosecutor, scored a narrow victory.
New Jersey's ousted Democratic Governor Jon Corzine (centre), a billionaire former Wall Street executive, had pumped millions of dollars of his own money into the campaign.
In New York, independent Mayor Michael Bloomberg (left) looked grateful after narrowly winning a third term over Democratic challenger Bill Thompson.
But it was not all woe for the Democrats. Their candidate, Bill Owens, won a congressional race in New York State's 23rd district.
And in California, Lt Gov John Garamendi easily won a special election to a congressional seat, keeping the district in Democratic hands.
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