Straws-in-the-wind elections in New York, New Jersey, Virginia

In three important elections Tuesday, American voters will have their say for the first time since President Barack Obama won a second term a year ago.  Bill de Blasio, former Hillary Clinton campaign manager, is the first Democratic candidate in years to be tipped as successor to three-term New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg against Republican Joe Lhota. In New Jersey, incumbent Republican Governor Chris Christie faces no contest from his Democratic rival State Senator Barbara Buono. His popularity makes him a contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. In Virginia, President Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden campaigned personally for Democratic candidate Terry McAuliffe against Republican Ken Cuccinelli, the Virginia attorney general