Republicans governors triumphed in key races on Tuesday in the political heavyweight states of Florida, Michigan and Wisconsin, joining the partisan tide that gave Republicans control of the U.S. Senate.
In races shaped by voters' worries about the uneven economic recovery, Republicans won the governor's posts in the Democratic strongholds of Massachusetts, Maryland and President Barack Obama's home state of Illinois, according to projections.
The big state wins for Republican incumbents and newcomers among the 36 governors' races bolstered an already very good night for Republicans who won back control of the Senate.