11-06-2013, 11:48 AM
And the Winner Is...
NEW JERSEY:
![[Image: chris_christie_1_ap_605_605.jpg]](http://images.politico.com/global/2012/07/chris_christie_1_ap_605_605.jpg)
Governor Chris Christie and family
Republican Chris Christie was re-elected as Governor of New Jersey. No surprise there.
Christie's landslide gubernatorial victory and bi-partisan focus are expected to strengthen his position as a 2016 presidential candidate.
VIRGINIA:
![[Image: 460x.jpg]](http://binaryapi.ap.org/5f4458c4da0d4ca08b3379d2d4334b80/460x.jpg)
Governor Terry McAuliffe with Hillary Clinton
Democrat Terry McAuliffe was expected to trounce incumbent Republican Governor Ken Cuccinelli. McAuliffe's campaign outspent Cuccinelli's by $15 million and early polls showed McAuliffe beating Cuccinelli by double digits.
But, it didn't go down as expected - it was a very close election with McAuliffe (also a family man) defeating Cuccinelli by only a couple of points. Why? Because a lot of Virginia voters agreed with Cuccinelli's rejection of Obama Care.
NEW YORK:
![[Image: th?id=H.4978018573289932&w=320&h=188&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7]](http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=H.4978018573289932&w=320&h=188&c=7&rs=1&pid=1.7)
NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio and family
Liberal Democrat Bill De Blasio won by a landslide over Republican candidate and former Giuliani adviser Joe Lhota. De Blasio's opposition to "stop and frisk" laws and his pledge to narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots were key points to his winning campaign.
Earlier in the race, after Weiner dropped out, openly lesbian Democrat Christine Quinn had hoped to be the first female mayor of the city, but her ties to Bloomberg (especially in voting to approve 3rd terms that benefited her and Bloomberg) worked against her.
Much is being made in the media about De Blasio's election marking the first time a Democrat has been elected to mayor of NYC in two decades. But, IMO, Bloomberg was a party-hybrid. He was a long time Democrat before switching to Republican to run for NYC mayor. Bloomberg's positions on marijuana decriminalization and gun control and some other issues were very much in line with most of the Democratic platform and in opposition to the majority of other Republicans anyway.
COLORADO:
![[Image: TaxMarijuana_thumb.jpg]](http://www.celebstoner.com/assets/images/pages/2013/thumbs3/TaxMarijuana_thumb.jpg)
Pot-tax advocates win
Well, it didn't take long. Those lobbying to tax newly legalized recreational marijuana sales in the state defeated their opponents. A 25 percent tax will be invoked.
Also, the measure to have some rural Colorado counties secede from the rest of Colorado was defeated; the state of Colorado remains as one.
NEW JERSEY:
Governor Chris Christie and family
Republican Chris Christie was re-elected as Governor of New Jersey. No surprise there.
Christie's landslide gubernatorial victory and bi-partisan focus are expected to strengthen his position as a 2016 presidential candidate.
VIRGINIA:
Governor Terry McAuliffe with Hillary Clinton
Democrat Terry McAuliffe was expected to trounce incumbent Republican Governor Ken Cuccinelli. McAuliffe's campaign outspent Cuccinelli's by $15 million and early polls showed McAuliffe beating Cuccinelli by double digits.
But, it didn't go down as expected - it was a very close election with McAuliffe (also a family man) defeating Cuccinelli by only a couple of points. Why? Because a lot of Virginia voters agreed with Cuccinelli's rejection of Obama Care.
NEW YORK:
NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio and family
Liberal Democrat Bill De Blasio won by a landslide over Republican candidate and former Giuliani adviser Joe Lhota. De Blasio's opposition to "stop and frisk" laws and his pledge to narrow the gap between the haves and have-nots were key points to his winning campaign.
Earlier in the race, after Weiner dropped out, openly lesbian Democrat Christine Quinn had hoped to be the first female mayor of the city, but her ties to Bloomberg (especially in voting to approve 3rd terms that benefited her and Bloomberg) worked against her.
Much is being made in the media about De Blasio's election marking the first time a Democrat has been elected to mayor of NYC in two decades. But, IMO, Bloomberg was a party-hybrid. He was a long time Democrat before switching to Republican to run for NYC mayor. Bloomberg's positions on marijuana decriminalization and gun control and some other issues were very much in line with most of the Democratic platform and in opposition to the majority of other Republicans anyway.
COLORADO:
Pot-tax advocates win
Well, it didn't take long. Those lobbying to tax newly legalized recreational marijuana sales in the state defeated their opponents. A 25 percent tax will be invoked.
Also, the measure to have some rural Colorado counties secede from the rest of Colorado was defeated; the state of Colorado remains as one.