Story highlights Democrats Ralph Northam and Phil Murphy won their governors races, CNN projects

Republicans nationally are closely watching to see if embracing Trump works

Washington (CNN) Democrats have won key races in Virginia and New Jersey, CNN projects, their first major wins during the tenure of President Donald Trump and a boost heading into the 2018 midterms, when control of US House and Senate will be up for grabs.

The blue wave along the East Coast saw Ralph Northam winning the governor's race in Virginia and Phil Murphy victorious in New Jersey. Democrats are also on pace to capture control of the Virginia General Assembly, and several liberals, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio won their mayoral elections.

Virginia's gubernatorial contest was the first major test of Democrats' ability to rebound after Trump's victory. The fundamentals of the state were in their favor: Under Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe, unemployment is lower than the national average, and voters have generally told pollsters that they see the commonwealth as on the right track while the nation is on the wrong track.

Northam's victory over GOP lobbyist and former George W. Bush aide Ed Gillespie -- clinched much earlier than nervous Democrats had expected -- left party leaders jubilant about their chances in the 2018 midterm elections, particularly in heavily suburban, Republican-held House districts that look much like the northern Virginia suburbs.

Gillespie distanced himself from Trump personally, but embraced much of the President's agenda, including a focus on illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. Gillespie also echoed Trump's calls to keep Confederate monuments in place and invoked NFL players kneeling during the national anthem.

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