November 4, 2009 - Republicans retake governorship of Virginia and oust Democratic governor in New Jersey on day of elections across the US (by Ewen MacAskill in Washington for guardian.co.uk)

Barack Obama suffered a double blow last night when the Republicans secured stunning victories in the first electoral test since he won the White House a year ago.

The Republicans celebrated a comeback that reverses a trend of Democratic victories stretching back to 2005, winning the governorship of Virginia, the state where Obama's victory last year in the presidential race was one of the high points of his campaign.