Why Terry McAuliffe barely won  —  How the heck did that happen?  —  Most public polls leading up to Election Day had Terry McAuliffe coasting to victory, some by double digits, in the Virginia governor's race.  Instead he squeaked by, beating Republican Ken Cuccinelli by less than 3 percentage points.

Chris Christie Coasts to 2nd Term as Governor of New Jersey  —  Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey won re-election by a crushing margin on Tuesday, a victory that vaulted him to the front ranks of Republican presidential contenders and made him his party's foremost proponent of pragmatism over ideology.

De Blasio Is Elected New York City Mayor in Landslide  —  Bill de Blasio, who transformed himself from a little-known occupant of an obscure office into the fiery voice of New York's disillusionment with a new gilded age, was elected the city's 109th mayor on Tuesday.

51ST STATE QUESTION ANSWERED “YES” IN 6 OF 11 COUNTIES CONTEMPLATING SECESSION  —  Weld County Commissioner Sean Conway, center, with other elected officials address a group of supporters of the 51st State Initiative during an election result watch party at the Historic Fort Lupton Fort, November 5, 2013.

White House sends SOS to insurers  —  The White House on Tuesday asked health insurers for help in quelling the growing furor over the cancellation of insurance plans under ObamaCare.  —  In a meeting at the White House, Obama's chief of staff Denis McDonough asked insurance executives …

Washington Times ends Sen. Rand Paul column amid plagiarism allegations  —  U.S. Sen. Rand Paul acknowledged Tuesday he had failed to properly source material in published writings, including a column in The Washington Times, after a string of embarrassing plagiarism accusations surfaced in recent days.

Democrats' Anxiety Grows Over Obamacare Problems  —  When a loyal leader on your own team says there is a “crisis of confidence” surrounding your signature initiative, you've got trouble.  —  That's the phrase Democratic Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland used repeatedly Tuesday morning …

Pictured with the man who shot him dead moments later: RAF policeman grins alongside rogue Afghan policeman who opened fire on him and comrade  —  An unwitting British soldier who posed for a photograph with a rogue Afghan policeman was shot dead by him seconds later.

Illinois Sends Bill Allowing Gay Marriage to Governor  —  The Illinois House of Representatives voted Tuesday to allow same-sex couples to wed, ending months of delay over the issue in the Capitol and clearing the way for Illinois to become the 15th state, along with the District of Columbia, to permit gay couples to marry.

VOTERS REJECT BIG TAX HIKE, SCHOOL FINANCE MEASURE AMENDMENT 66  —  Voters emphatically rejected a $950 million tax increase and the school funding revamp that came with it, handing Amendment 66 a resounding defeat Tuesday night.  —  The measure fell behind by a large margin as the early returns …

Jennifer Johnson beats husband in Waterville warden race  —  Husband versus wife battle for Ward 1 seat drew statewide attention and, the competitors hope, attention to the election process  —  WATERVILLE — Jennifer Johnson won the Ward 1 warden position over her competitor and spouse, David Johnson, on Tuesday night 127-76.

Biden phones winner of memorable Coralville election  —  IOWA CITY, IA.  — In a contest that attracted the attention of Vice President Joe Biden and spending by the national conservative group Americans for Prosperity, Coralville's three incumbent candidates are staying for another term.

Sources: Jon Runyan won't seek re-election to Congress in 2014  —  Rep. Jon Runyan, a South Jersey Republican, will not seek re-election in 2014, sources say.  (Matt Rainey/The Star-Ledger)  —  South Jersey U.S. Rep. Jon Runyan, a former star football player, will not seek re-election next year, The Star-Ledger has learned.

Establishment beats tea party in Alabama runoff  —  Bradley Byrne, a former state senator, defeated businessman Dean Young in the GOP primary runoff for Alabama's 1st district, CNN projects.  —  Follow @politicalticker Follow @danmericaCNN Follow @KevinBohnCNN

Five years in, Obama and Bush poll numbers nearly identical  —  When President Obama first ran for the White House in 2008, it was with the promise to turn the page on the presidency of George W. Bush.  But for all their political differences, it turns out the American public pretty much view …

Christie's strategy of wooing key Democrats pays off big  —  A day after routing Jon Corzine in 2009, Republican Governor-elect Chris Christie placed a call to the Democratic mayor of Woodbridge, John McCormac, inviting him to join his transition team.  —  McCormac, a state treasurer under …