EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. – Republican Chris Christie’s victory over Gov. Jon Corzine Tuesday came despite an all-out Obama administration push to salvage the one race that seemed winnable in an uphill year for Democrats.

But even with the White House taking an unusually strong hands-on role in a statewide race – dispatching the president’s pollster and even President Barack Obama himself for two stops Sunday – Corzine was ousted amid low approval ratings and a sour economy.

Christie became the first Republican to win statewide in New Jersey in more than a decade, leading 49 to 44, with independent candidate Chris Daggett pulling just 6 percent, with 92 percent of the vote counted.

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