GOP Touts Different Sort of ‘Change’ in Va., N.J. Wins

JIM LEHRER:

Republicans celebrated today over Election Day victories in major races, while White House officials and Democrats in general played down the results.

Gwen Ifill has our lead story report.

GWEN IFILL:

One year after the voters of New Jersey and Virginia helped elect Barack Obama president, they reversed course last night, handing their states' top jobs to Republicans.

National GOP Chairman Michael Steele said today his party has found its voice again.

MICHAEL STEELE, chairman, Republican National Committee: The Republican renaissance has begun. It has begun in earnest, in which we put our faith in the hopes and dreams of the American people to rebuild our economy from the bottom up, not the big deficit-spending plans and policies of the politicians in Washington or our state capitals.

GWEN IFILL:

Virginia Republicans, including former Attorney General Bob McDonnell, swept the night, McDonnell by a nearly 20-point margin over Democratic state Senator Creigh Deeds.

BOB MCDONNELL, R-Va.:

Eight months ago, I applied for the job of governor of Virginia. Tonight, you have hired me. Thank you.

GWEN IFILL:

President Obama campaigned repeatedly for both Deeds in Virginia and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, but it wasn't enough to sway independent voters, especially in Virginia.

Still, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the results reflected local concerns, and should not be considered a referendum on the Obama presidency.

A similar warning came from Democrat Tim Kaine, the outgoing Virginia governor and national party chairman.

GOV. TIM KAINE, D-Va., Democratic national committee chairman: We have got both U.S. senators. We put electoral votes behind President Obama. And we now control a majority in our House delegation. And we're going to win a lot more races in years to come.

GWEN IFILL:

In New Jersey, Republican U.S. Attorney Chris Christie beat Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine in a contest that was dominated by worries over the state's dismal economy.

CHRIS CHRISTIE, R-N.J.:

The suffocating taxes and a government that was out of control has rendered Trenton completely out of touch. Tomorrow, starting tomorrow, we are going to pick Trenton up, and we are going to turn it upside-down.

GWEN IFILL:

Corzine outspent his Republican foe by $12 million dollars in his bid for a second term.

GOV. JON CORZINE, D-N.J.:

There is a bright future ahead for New Jersey if we stay focused on the things that matter in people's lives. And I guarantee you, I'm going to do that for the rest of my life, working with all of you for the things that matter.