"Christopher J. Christie, became the first Republican to win statewide in 12 years by vowing to attack the state's fiscal problems with the same aggressiveness he used to lock up corrupt politicians," the New York Times says. "He overcame a huge Democratic voter advantage and a relentless barrage of negative commercials to defeat Jon S. Corzine, an unpopular incumbent who outspent him by more than two to one and drew heavily on political help from the White House, including three visits to the state from President Obama." 

Video: Rachel  Maddow is joined by Princeton University professor Melissa Haris-Lacewell to help interpret the results from the N.J. governor's race.

The New York Post: "Chris Christie last night became the first Republican to be elected governor of New Jersey in more than a decade -- a stunning triumph that came just days after President Obama put his prestige on the line and visited the Garden State to urge voters to re-elect Democrat Jon Corzine." 

The AP called Christie's win "the darling of New Jersey's Republican Party establishment" after unseating the "deep-pocketed but unpopular" incumbent Jon Corzine. Christie "became the first member of his party in a dozen years to win a statewide contest in heavily Democratic New Jersey," despite heavy investments of time and money by Corzine and national Democratic leaders, including President Barack Obama.

Chris Christie "survived" the New Jersey election, the Newark Star-Ledger writes, prevailing in a "name-calling brawl over ethics, issues and Christie's weight." Christie was also able to weather the "Democratic onslaught" of accusations about an "unreported loan to a subordinate and a poor driving history." 
 
Christie's win was "the first time a Republican has won a statewide race in New Jersey in a dozen years -- and by a margin greater than even most Republicans expected," PolitickerNJ writes, with 106,000 votes between him and Corzine by the time Christie gave his victory speech last night. While he thanked his opponent for his service to the state, "Christie excoriated Corzine for running an intensely personal negative campaign against him, and said that his victory should send pundits and candidates the message that negative campaigns don't work." 

The AP writes, "President Barack Obama's decision in June to appoint a Republican congressman to a Pentagon post has paid dividends in November now that Democrats have gained the House seat by capitalizing on a split between moderates and conservatives in the GOP. Lawyer and retired Air Force Capt. Bill Owens won the special election Tuesday in northern New York in which the Republican candidate withdrew over the weekend under pressure from the party's right wing and GOP heavyweights endorsed the Conservative Party nominee." 

"Hoffman's far-flung supporters cast the election as a referendum on a perceived leftward lurch by political leaders of both parties," The New York Post writes. "Facing desertion from the right, Scozzafava abruptly suspended her campaign over the weekend and endorsed Owens. The move freed up labor unions, which had previously split their support, to rally behind Owens." 
 
Conservatives "won a nasty battle to carry the GOP banner" but lost the war, the New York Daily News writes. 

Democrat Bill Owens' win in upstate New York last night was a "setback for national conservatives," the New York Times adds. The election was "perhaps most notable for the fissures it opened in the Republican Party," as many "leading conservative voices," like the Wall Street Journal editorial page, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, supported Hoffman. The Owens win was also a "welcome boost" to national Democrats, who "threw muscle behind the race, eager to avoid a potentially embarrassing defeat as President Obama's approval ratings have softened."  

After spending more than $100 million of his own money on his re-election campaign, New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg won a much closer than expected election there, 51%-46%. Polls had shown him comfortably up by double-digits heading into Election Day, leaving many to wonder why Bloomberg was spending so much money. Now, maybe we know why.
 
The New York Post: "Bloomberg sweats out third term." 
 
And the New York Daily News asks this question: "What if President Obama -- instead of delivering a squishy, nonendorsement-endorsement of Thompson, after his press secretary couldn't even come up with Thompson's name -- had stumped for the man?"

The AP: "In Associated Press surveys at polling places statewide, about eight in 10 voters said they were worried about the direction of the nation's economy, and the majority of those favored McDonnell. He built his political career as a social conservative and abortion opponent but focused his campaign on employment and closing the budget gap without raising taxes." 
 
The Richmond Times-Dispatch writes that McDonnell "created a model for other Republican candidates," by "emphasiz[ing] jobs creation and de-emphasiz[ing] social issues," despite McDonnell's graduate thesis, revealed in August, which "appeared to demean women." 

The Washington Post also spotlights McDonnell's avoidance of social issues, writing that he "crafted his campaign around particular concerns... He reached out to minority communities and drilled so deeply into local concerns that he was discussing Lyme disease in one neighborhood and Guantanamo Bay prisoners in another." McDonnell's resulting win everywhere but the "liberal heartlands" shows that "Democrats cannot take Northern Virginia for granted despite an influx of young, minority voters who tend to vote Democratic."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Democrat Bill Owens defeated Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York's 23rd congressional district special election, 49%-45% (with 92% of the voting in), becoming the first Democrat to control the district since at least the 1890s.

The results came in overnight and was finally called around 1:00 am ET.

It was something of an upset after it was widely considered a likely victory for Hoffman after the Republican pick, Dede Scozzafava, dropped out of the race over the weekend. Scozzafava did, however, endorse Owens -- though it was unclear what effect that would have.

It's a victory also for the DCCC, which has now won two competitive special elections in once-traditionally conservative Upstate New York since Obama has become president.

Republicans now control just two of 29 districts in New York State -- one Upstate and one in Long Island. They have lost six districts Upstate just since 2006. They control zero seats in all of New England.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
As campaign workers come from the back room to tell the press that Christie should be speaking within the next half hour and Gov. Corzine finishes his concession speech, no one at the Christie Headquarters has officially announced the win. 

The screens in the room did not show Corzine's concession speech.

While the news is clearly trickling through the crowd, it doesn't feel like everyone is sure of the outcome even as people start chants of "We want Chris!" 

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Chuck Todd
There are a couple of close races in New York -- unexpectedly so in New York City, where Mike Bloomberg is barely hanging on, despite spending a record $85 million-plus on his race, gerrymandering a third term and most public polling showed Bloomberg up double-digits.

With 94% in, Bloomberg was up just 50%-46%.

Best our election team can tell, Bloomberg SHOULD hang on as there is more of Queens out than any other part of the city. And for the record, NBC News has NOT called the race for Bloomberg; We reported the call of exit pollster, EMR. They pulled their call.

In NY-23, Democrat Bill Owens was up 49-46 with 59% in.

*** UPDATE *** At 10:47 pm ET, NBC called the NYC race for Bloomberg.

*** UPDATE 2 *** In NY-23, The voting is going very slowly with a few towns reporting issues with ballot machines meaning those votes may not be counted for quite awhile.

*** UPDATE 3 *** NY-23: 77% in, Owens still up -- 49-45 now

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell thanked independent and Democratic voters who supported him, as well as his Democratic opponent Creigh Deeds, during his acceptance speech this evening.
 
"One of the reasons I think we were so successful with [Attorney General-elect] Ken [Cucinelli] and [Lieutenant Governor-elect] Bill [Bolling] and me tonight was we had independents and Democrats who came over to support us," McDonnell said, singling out one high-profile Democratic supporter, Sheila Johnson, the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, calling her "my favorite Democrat."
 
McDonnell said he "looks forward" to working with Deeds, a state senator: "Creigh Deeds is a good public servant, and what we're going to need over the next few years is good public servants."

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
Just a few minutes ago, New Jersey state Sen. Joe Kyrillos, Chris Christie's campaign chairman, took to the stage amid chants of "Red State! Red State." He warned the crowd that it could be a long night and rallied them with the information that the independent vote seems to be trending Christie. NBC's exit polling shows independents casting their ballots for Christie by an almost a 2-to-1 margin.

From NBC's Mark Murray
EMS projects Michael Bloomberg to win re-election as New York City mayor.

Meanwhile, according to the AP, "Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has won an unprecedented fifth consecutive four-year term. Menino held off a challenge from City Council President Michael Flaherty. Menino already has been in office for 16 1/2 years, longer than any in the city's history."

*** UPDATE *** EMS its call in NYC Mayor race for Bloomberg. As of now, Bloomberg is ahead just 50%-47%. This race isn't over, folks....

*** UPDATE 2 *** Well, now it's over... NBC News projects that Bloomberg wins NYC Mayor.

From NBC's Kelly Paice
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Creigh Deeds conceded tonight, thanking his supporters and saying: "Just because we didn't get the right result tonight, doesn't mean we get to go home and whine. We've got to keep working and keep fighting -- and I'm fighting."

Deeds said he called his Republican challenger, now governor-elect of Virginia, Bob McDonnell and "wished him well." Deeds added that Virginia still has challenges ahead -- from creating jobs to establishing a much-needed transportation solution. He concluded, "We lose an election but we don't give up... We still have people that need a voice and we're going to give them that voice."

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
The party is about to get started at the Christie headquarters with the B Street Band, who bill themselves as the original Bruce Springsteen cover band, warming up the crowd of journalists.  

Outside the ballroom, the Christie campaign has surrogates hitting the main theme of the campaign. New Jersey State Sen. Tom Kean Jr. repeated that Christie has a plan to lower taxes and Corzine and Daggett do not. He also predicted a three-point win for the former U.S. Attorney.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Tim Pawlenty appears to be the first potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate to release a statement on Bob McDonnell's victory in Virginia.

I want to send my congratulations to Bob, Maureen and their family. Bob ran a positive campaign based on the conservative principles of fiscal responsibility and low taxes. Virginians embraced his conservative message, rejecting more taxes, card-check and spending that would hurt economic growth and job creation. I'm especially proud of the RGA's historic role in supporting Bob's effort, and look forward to working with the Governor-Elect next year.