UPDATE 1-Virginia, New Jersey races may test Obama's clout
* Democrats bracing for possibility of losses
* Will Obama's appearances help?
* Wild race in New York congressional district (Adds Plouffe, Hoyer quotes)
WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Republicans seeking a comeback from recent losses may pick up the governor's seats in Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday in campaigns that tested the limits of U.S. President Barack Obama's influence.
Democrats were bracing for the unhappy possibility they could go down to defeat not just in those two states but in a congressional district in upstate New York where a conservative candidate was leading.
The election outcome could give some clues as to the national mood a year after Obama was elected president and a year before 2010 congressional elections that will represent the first clear referendum on Obama's time in office.
David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager in his run to the White House, dismissed the potential impact of the governor's races on Democrats and the 2010 elections.
"These are local races, there's 18,000 lifetimes between now and next November," Plouffe said on NBC's "Today" show.
While local factors influenced all three races, the weak state of the U.S. economy was an overarching issue that played a role in each state.
In Virginia, Republican Bob McDonnell was leading Democrat Creigh Deeds by double digits in opinion polls as Virginians went to the polls -- an opportunity for Republicans a year after Obama became the first Democratic presidential nominee to win the state since 1964.
Two appearances on Deeds' behalf by Obama appeared to have little impact, as Democrats suffered from a lack of enthusiasm without Obama on the ticket and Republicans were energized by the chance to take back the governor's seat, held by Democrats the past eight years. Voting ends at 7 p.m. EST (0000 GMT) and the winner could be known a few hours later.
OBAMA CAMPAIGNS FOR CORZINE
In New Jersey, Republican Chris Christie has been running neck-and-neck with Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, the former Wall Street executive who has pumped $23 million of his own money into his campaign. A poll released on Monday gave the Republican a slight lead.
Independent candidate Chris Daggett trailed, and a key question concerned how many of Daggett's supporters would abandon him for Christie or Corzine and sway the race.
Obama campaigned with Corzine on Sunday and made a last-ditch appeal for the Democrat. Continued...
