RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Republican Bob McDonnell has easily won the Virginia governor's race just a year after the state went overwhelmingly for President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Unofficial results show the former attorney general defeating Creigh Deeds and returning a Republican to the governor's office for the first time in eight years.

This race and the contest for governor of New Jersey are viewed as the first referendum on the president and the Democratic Congress before the 2010 mid-term elections.

A year ago, Obama became the first Democrat in 44 years to carry Virginia in a presidential race. This time voters expressed angst about major Obama initiatives such as health care, energy and stimulus spending. But McDonnell dominated the campaign's central issues: jobs and the economy.

In New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie has defeated Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine.

With 71 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Christie had 50 percent of the vote to Corzine's 44 percent.

Christie, a 47-year-old former federal prosecutor, became the first member of his party in a dozen years to win a statewide contest in heavily Democratic New Jersey.

The Republican victory deals a blow to President Barack Obama as he readies for next year's midterm elections. Obama campaigned heavily for Corzine.

Christie accepted public financing in the race against the wealthy incumbent and was outspent by more than $12 million.

He ran on a platform of smaller government and criticized Corzine for what he called poor economic stewardship. State unemployment was nearly 10 percent in October and property taxes are the nation's highest.

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