Election Day November 2009

In Virginia, it looks like that the Republican Robert McDonnell is going to win the Governor's race over Democrat Creigh Deeds running away. Virginia had been a red state trending blue, with Barack Obama carrying the state last year.

A McDonnell victory, especially if there are a lot of other GOP victories down ballot, will suggest that Virginia had gone back to Republican red, which is bad news for President Obama. One thing to look for in Virginia will be the returns in slightly more liberal Northern Virginia, which is home to government workers who tend to vote Democrat. If Northern Virginia votes more red than in previous years, Obama is definitely in trouble in the Old Dominion.

The governor's race in New Jersey is considered neck and neck, with Republican Chris Christie slightly ahead of incumbent Governor Jon Corzine. If Christie wins the victory will be interpreted as a rebuke for President Obama, though it will be a bigger rebuke for Jon Corzine, because of taxes and corruption. A Republican victory in a heavily blue state such as New Jersey will be the most talked about story of Election Day November 2009. Obama, realizing this, has heavily campaigned for Corzine.