US: Democrats were celebrating yesterday after convincing victories in governors' races in Virginia and New Jersey on a bleak day for Republicans that also saw California voters rejecting four policy initiatives from governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Virginia's lieutenant governor Tim Kaine defeated his Republican opponent James Kilgore by more than 5 per cent in a state that President George W Bush won by 9 per cent last year.
In New Jersey, Democratic senator Jon Corzine won almost 10 per cent more votes than Republican Doug Forrester after a race in which the candidates, both multimillionaires, spent $70 million between them.
"With just less than a year until congressional elections in 2006, Democrats have gained momentum with a clear vision for progress and a national mood firmly united against the leadership of national Republicans," said Illinois Representative Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Voters in California rejected a package of proposals that would have made it easier to sack teachers; given the governor more control over the state budget; hindered public employees' unions ability to raise money for political causes; and taken away from politicians responsibility for redrawing constituency boundaries.
The vote was a major political blow to Mr Schwarzenegger, who has seen his popularity plunge in recent months as he struggles to deal with California's massive budget problems.
The only good news for Republicans came in New York, where mayor Michael Bloomberg won a landslide victory over his Democratic opponent, Fernando Ferrer.
Incumbent mayors won re-election easily in Atlanta, Boston and Houston but in St Paul, Minnesota, a Democrat who backed Mr Bush last year became the first incumbent to lose an election in the city for more than 30 years.
Voters in Texas voted to ban same-sex marriage but Maine voted against repealing a law that outlaws workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians.
Governor races are unreliable in predicting the outcome of national elections and Republicans were quick to point out yesterday that Democrats won Virginia in 2001, only to fare badly in the state in the following year's congressional election.
As the two parties gear up for next year's mid-term elections, however, the results have given Democrats an important morale boost that could help fundraising, motivate party workers and recruit attractive candidates.
For Republicans, the defeats will cast gloom over a party that is already suffering on account of Mr Bush's poor poll ratings, the unpopular war in Iraq and a succession of scandals. The party is already having trouble recruiting candidates to fight open races in next year's congressional elections.
Democrats are especially pleased by the result in Virginia, where Mr Kaine made much of his Catholic faith, which has led him to oppose abortion and the death penalty. Mr Kaine promised during the campaign that, despite his personal convictions, he would uphold the state law on both issues, permitting abortion and authorising executions.
