Dems win two races for governor

Democrat Mark Green battled Republican Michael Bloomberg in a cliffhanger race Tuesday for mayor of New York City, still reeling from the Sept. 11 terror attack. Democrats captured governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, breaking eight years of GOP control in each state.

In New York, Green and Bloomberg were hoping to succeed Rudolph Giuliani, a Republican barred from seeking a third term. With 49 percent of precincts reporting, Green had 279,530 votes, or 49 percent, to 275,584, or 48 percent, for Bloomberg.

Green, the city's elected public advocate, spent about $12 million on his campaign, while Bloomberg, the billionaire owner of the Bloomberg financial information company, was expected to spend more than $50 million of his own money. That made it the most expensive mayoral campaign in U.S. history, according to Common Cause, a citizen lobbying group.

Green's once-large lead in the polls faded after the popular Giuliani endorsed Bloomberg as the man to guide New York through the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack.

In Virginia, Democrat Mark Warner, a wealthy entrepreneur who has never held elected office, beat Republican Mark Earley, a former state attorney general. With all precincts reporting, Warner had 994,399 votes, or 52 percent, to 893,232, or 47 percent, for Earley,

In New Jersey, Democrat Jim McGreevey, a suburban mayor who narrowly lost a race for governor four years ago, rolled to a landslide victory over former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler.

With 97 percent of the precincts reporting, McGreev-ey had 1,200,253 votes, or 56 percent, to 901,634 votes, or 42 percent, for Schundler.

With the victories, there will be 21 Democratic governors, 27 Republicans and two independents.

Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, contended the outcome in New Jersey and Virgina was not a reflection on President Bush, who didn't campaign for the GOP candidates.

"I think it was the right call," Rowland said, "You can't have the commander in chief in a political mode."