NORTHAM LEADS DEMOCRATIC WAVE IN VIRGINIA: In Virginia, like in several contests across America on Tuesday, the Trump resistance won. And it wasn't close. Northam, a pediatric neurologist and Army veteran, led longtime Republican operative Gillespie by several points as the final votes ticked in. Democrats also scored victories in the race for New Jersey governor and in Maine, where voters slapped the state's Republican governor, a Trump ally, by backing a measure to expand Medicaid coverage under former President Barack Obama's health care law. The Democratic mayors of New York and Boston, both vocal Trump critics, also won re-election easily. And Virginia voters elected the state's first openly-transgender state representative, among more than a dozen state legislative pickups for Democrats.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/national-politics/article183395126.html

NANCY MCFARLANE WINS RUNOFF AGAINST CHARLES FRANCIS: Mayor Nancy McFarlane outlasted challenger Charles Francis in Raleigh's first mayoral runoff in 16 years to win her fourth two-year term. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, McFarlane was in front of challenger Charles Francis by 58 to 42 percent. "It's very heartwarming to know that ... most of the city really does appreciate and value the work we've done in the past six to 10 years," McFarlane told supporters in downtown Raleigh. "I really do think that Raleigh really appreciates and obviously embraces the message of unity and coming together and working on solutions as opposed to partisan politics and division."
http://www.wral.com/raleigh-durham-fayetteville-mayoral-races-highlight-municipal-elections/17097818/

VI LYLES IS FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALE MAYOR OF CHARLOTTE: Casting herself as a unifier after two years of tumult, Democrat Vi Lyles easily defeated Republican Kenny Smith on Tuesday to become Charlotte’s first African-American female mayor. Lyles took about 58 percent to Smith’s 42 percent in unofficial returns. She carried precincts throughout the city, including a handful in south Charlotte. Despite being heavily outspent, she won on a night Democrats flexed their muscles not only in Charlotte but in Virginia and New Jersey, where they swept state races. Lyles piled up an 8,400 early-vote margin and built on it throughout Election Day. Her victory came two months after she upset incumbent Jennifer Roberts in the Democratic primary.
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article183325696.html

BIGOTRY REJECTED: TRANSGENDER WOMAN DEFEATS BATHROOM BILL SPONSOR: A transgender candidate defeated an incumbent Virginia lawmaker who sponsored a bill that would have restricted which bathrooms she could use. Democrat Danica Roem, a former journalist, is set to make history as the first openly transgender person elected and seated in a state legislature in the United States. She unseated Republican Del. Bob Marshall, one of the state's longest serving and most socially conservative lawmakers. The race was one of the year's most high profile, drawing international attention and big money to the northern Virginia House of Delegates district outside the nation's capital. "It's historic. ... It sends a message to politicians everywhere that the politics of bigotry is over," Democratic House Caucus Chair Charniele Herring said. Roem will be the first transgender member of the House of Delegates and will become the first out transgender person to win and serve in a state legislature.
http://www.wral.com/transgender-woman-makes-history-in-virginia-house-seat-win/17098926/

BURLINGTON'S IAN BALTUTIS WINS SECOND TERM AS MAYOR: Ian Baltutis, with 55.4 percent of the votes, defeated Mayor Pro Tem Celo Faucette to become the mayor of Burlington for a second term. “It’s excellent,” Baltutis said from the Mellow Mushroom on Huffman Mill Road Tuesday night. “Our mission was to get out and get more people to the polls. We succeeded in that.” Baltutis expressed his appreciation toward others stepping up to run in the election. “That is critical to the strength and the future of our democracy,” Baltutis said. “I appreciate everybody getting involved this year — all the volunteers and everyone who came out to vote.” “I think that when we won the first time, a lot of folks thought it was a fluke,” Baltutis said. “To come back, it shows that community that we are determined to move forward and be a gem along the North Carolina corridor. Burlington has a young, engaged mayor who is willing to work across generational, racial and geographic divides to help unite our community.”
http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/20171107/burlington-re-elects-baltutis-as-mayor