Conservative Republican Bob McDonnell’s victory in the Virginia governor’s race over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds and moderate Republican Chris Christie’s ouster of unpopular New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine was a double- barreled triumph for a party looking to rebuild after being booted from power in national elections in 2006 and 2008.

The outcomes were sure to feed discussion about the state of the electorate, the status of the diverse coalition that sent Obama to the White House and the limits of the president’s influence — on the party’s base of support and on moderate current lawmakers he needs to advance his legislative priorities.

Elsewhere on Tuesday New York and California picked Democrats for two vacant congressional seats.

Democrat Bill Owens won over Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman in New York’s traditionally Republican 23rd U.S. House district.

That race highlighted fissures in the GOP, as State Assembly woman Dierdre Scozzafava withdrew her candidacy and endorsed Owens.

With about 88 percent of precincts reporting Owens had 49 percent of the vote to 46 percent for Hoffman, who conceded defeat. Scozzafava, who remained on the ballot, picked up 6 percent.

In California, Democratic Lt. Gov. John Garamendi defeated Republican

In mayors’ races:

Atlanta: A six-way race to succeed term-limited Mayor Shirley Franklin, the city’s first female mayor, led to a Dec. 1 runoff between City Councilwoman Mary Norwood, who is trying to become the city’s first white mayor in a generation, and state Sen. Kasim Reed. Norwood got 45 percent of the vote, Reed 38 percent.

Boston: Democrat Thomas Menino won an unprecedented fifth term.

Detroit: Former NBA star Dave Bing, a Democrat was re-elected.

Houston: City Controller Annise Parker and former city attorney Gene Locke are headed to a December runoff.

Parker, who would be the first openly gay mayor of Houston, collected nearly 31 percent of the vote Tuesday.

Minneapolis: Democrat R.T. Rybak won a third four-year term.

New York: Republican Michael Bloomberg won a third term in a surprisingly close race with city Comptroller William Thompson Jr.

Pittsburgh: Democrat Luke Ravenstahl, 29, won his first full term in office.

St. Paul: Democrat Chris Coleman won re-election.

Ohio voters approved casinos in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo.

In Texas, voters passed a constitutional amendment aimed at preventing government from taking private property purely for economic development.

Obama had personally campaigned for Deeds and Corzine, seeking to ensure that independents and base voters alike turned out even if he wasn’t on the ballot. Thus, the losses were blots on Obama’s political standing to a certain degree and suggested potential problems ahead as he seeks to achieve his policy goals, protect Democratic majorities in Congress and expand his party’s grip on governors’ seats next fall.