Donald Trump’s party has suffered a series of damaging defeats that overshadowed his one-year election anniversary and raised hopes of a Democrat fightback. The Republicans lost two high-profile governor races and a series of smaller battles in the first statewide elections since Mr Trump took office.

Ralph Northam was elected Virginian governor – a key swing state in presidential races – while Phil Murphy was voted New Jersey governor. They are both Democrats.

Mr Northam’s victory is significant as his Republican opponent Ed Gillespie ran a “Trumpism without Trump” campaign that focused on immigration and race.

Other results saw the left-leaning Bill de Blasio re-elected as New York mayor and a surge in turnout among Democrat voters in some key local wards.

The victors said their wins were a rebuke of Mr Trump’s presidency that has seen him sink to deep unpopularity, according to polls. Just one in three Americans approves of the job he is doing.

Mr Northam said in his victory speech: "Virginia has told us to end this divisiveness, that we will not condone hatred and bigotry - and to end the politics that have torn this country apart".