Republicans wrested political control of Virginia from the Democrats today, with Bob McDonnell scoring a landslide victory over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds. Independent voters swung behind the GOP, a troubling sign for President Obama, who had personally campaigned for Deeds.
Early returns showed that by a 2-1 margin McDonnell was winning rapidly growing, far-flung Washington DC suburbs that Republicans historically have won but that Obama prevailed in last fall by winning over swing voters. The Republicans swept the state's top three offices, with Bill Bolling re-elected lieutenant governor and Ken Cuccinelli taking McDonnell's spot as attorney general.
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