Democrat Terry McAuliffe Elected Governor of Virginia; Republican Chris Christie Easily Wins Re-Election as Governor of New Jersey; Establishment Republican Bradley Byrne Holds off Tea Party Favorite Dean Young in a Special Republican Run-Off in Alabama Congressional District One

Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe of Virginia
(Democrat)

Photo by Kate Wellington

November 5, 2013, despite being a date for off-year election, proved to be a day of some political significance.  In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie, as expected, cruised to an easy re-election against virtually token Democratic opposition.

In an Alabama Congressional District One special Republican run-off, establishment GOP candidate Bradley Byrne defeated upstart Tea Party candidate Dean Young.

Perhaps the day's most dramatic contest of significance was the showdown for Virginia governor. Democrat Terry McAuliffe prevailed by a narrow margin over arch-conservative Republican Ken Cuccinelli, a race bitterly fought by both sides.

McAuliffe's victory will switch control of Virginia's governorship from Republican to Democrat.

Trip Gabriel's article in The New York Times is linked below.

The New York Times: Democrat Terry McAuliffe Defeats Tea Party Republican Ken Cuccinelli

"Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Democratic fund-raiser and ally of Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton, was elected governor of Virginia on Tuesday, narrowly defeating the state’s conservative attorney general, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, and confirming Virginia’s evolution as a state increasingly dominated politically by the Democratic-leaning Washington suburbs."

---Trip Gabriel, The New York Times 

CNN reporting on election results are linked below.

CNN Coverage of Election 2013