Democrats win N.J., Virginia governorships

NEW YORK (CNN) -- New Yorkers Tuesday chose Republican Michael Bloomberg to guide the city as it continues its recovery from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"Tonight is not about Republicans or Democrats it's about New Yorkers," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg, a media mogul who pumped tens of millions of dollars of his own money into the race, defeated Democratic challenger Mark Green, a long-time fixture in city politics, in a close vote, to succeed Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Bloomberg, took 711,189 votes to Green's 670,413 votes.

In his victory speech Bloomberg said, "The easy part is done. Now comes the hard part. I will not let you down."

Some of Green's supporters booed Bloomberg as Green conceded defeat and congratulated his rival on his win. Green chided those who booed, calling for unity behind the mayor-elect.

"Over the years he has given so much philanthropically to so many good causes, now he has to bring that spirit of generosity to his greatest challenge, helping rebuild and recover our city," Green said. "I ask the city to support him as he begins the hard work and hard choices ahead."

After trailing through most of the race, Bloomberg surged into a dead-heat with Green after getting the endorsement of Giuliani, who has gotten rave reviews for his leadership in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Democrats had better luck in gubernatorial races capturing offices in both New Jersey and Virginia in Tuesday's off-year election, wresting control of both offices from Republican hands.

Based on exit polling conducted by Edison Media Research and partial returns, CNN projects that Democrat Jim McGreevey will defeat Republican Bret Schundler for New Jersey's top elected post, which has been in GOP hands for eight years.

McGreevey, the mayor of Woodbridge who narrowly lost a bid for governor four years ago, took 56 percent of the vote, with only 42 percent going to Schundler, a self-described Reagan conservative who has been twice elected mayor of Jersey City, according to results from the Associated Press.

McGreevey will replace Acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco, who came to office earlier this year when Christine Whitman resigned to become head of the Environmental Protection Agency. DiFrancesco, a Republican, opted not to seek a full term in the post.

In Virginia, Democrat Mark Warner, a wealthy venture capitalist who narrowly lost a race for the U.S. Senate in 1996, defeated Republican Mark Earley, a former state attorney general. With all precincts counted, Warner had 52 percent of the vote, compared to 47 percent of the vote for Earley, according to AP returns.

In addition to the races in New York City, Virginia and New Jersey, voters in a number of large American cities are picking mayors Tuesday:

-- In Atlanta, where Mayor Bill Campbell is barred from a third term, Shirley Franklin, a city administrator under two former mayors was leading City Council President Robb Pitts. With 142 of 168 precincts reporting, Franklin had 51 percent of the vote to 32 percent for Pitts. A majority of votes is need to avoid a runoff.

-- In Miami, Mayor Joe Carollo lost his bid for another term. Former mayor Maurice Ferre will face Manny Diaz, an attorney for the Miami relatives of Elian Gonzalez, in a runoff election.

-- In Cincinnati, which erupted in race riots earlier this year after a white police officer shot a black teen, incumbent Mayor Charlie Luken, who is white, turned back a black challenger, Courtis Fuller, according to an AP projection. Both are former TV newsmen.

-- In Cleveland, where Mayor Mike White is not seeking re-election, Cuyahoga County Commissioner Jane Campbell defeated former Clinton administration education official Raymond Pierce. With all precincts reporting, she garnered 54 percent of the vote to Pierce's 46 percent.

-- In Detroit, House Minority Leader Kwame Kilpatrick will succeed Mayor Dennis Archer who is stepping down Kilpatrick defeated City Councilman Gil Hill by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin.

-- In Boston, Mayor Thomas Menino was easily reelected, beating challenger Peggy Davis-Mullen by a margin of about 3-to-1.

-- In Houston, Mayor Lee Brown drew five challengers, including two city councilmen, Chris Bell and Orlando Sanchez.

-- In Seattle, City Attorney Mark Sidran faced King County Councilman Greg Nickels. The two ran neck-and-neck in an earlier mayoral primary.