Updated 11:59 a.m. ET

The GOP wrested political control Tuesday from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a troubling sign for President Obama and his party heading into an important midterm election year.

Republican Bob McDonnell's victory in the Virginia governor's race over Democrat R. Creigh Deeds, and Republican Chris Christie's ouster of 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.

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Maine voted to repeal a state law that would allow same-sex couples to wed.

And Democrat Bill Owens captured a GOP-held vacant 23rd Congressional District seat in New York in a race that highlighted fissures in the Republican Party and illustrated hurdles the GOP could face in capitalizing on any voter discontent with Mr. Obama and Democrats next fall.

California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, also a Democrat, won a special election to a vacant congressional seat, Ohio voters