[John Berman, Cnn Anchor:] Happening now: new polls giving Republicans the news they want to hear and their best position yet to take control of the U.S. Senate. The midterm elections now just one day away. Democrats sinking in some of the tight races across the country. The White House now preparing for the worst. We will break down the numbers from the big races to watch, coming up.
[Christine Romans, Cnn Anchor:] Ebola nurse Kaci Hickox with a new apology this morning, days after winning her fight against the state- imposed quarantine. Why she is now planning to stay away from the public.
[Berman:] And then blindfolded in a tightrope between two Chicago skyscrapers. Why? Television ratings. Daredevil Nik Wallenda with his latest death-defying stunt. Welcome back to EARLY START, everyone. I'm John Berman.
[Romans:] I'm Christine Romans. It's 29 minutes past the hour. It is Monday morning. Monday morning with a midterm ahead of us, Republicans waking up to good news this Monday. A swarm of new polls giving an edge to their candidates, sharply increasing the odd the GOP will gain control of the Senate. Now, this spells trouble for the Democrats. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the progressive group that Iowa is critical. And then, just hours later, a Des Moines register poll showed Republican Senate candidate Joni Ernst now up over seven points over Democrat Bruce Braley. That is a much bigger margin than other recent polling. Democrats have been bringing up the big guns. Bill Clinton was there, but that did not dim Joni Ernst's confidence.
[Bill Clinton, Former President:] America is coming back. The question is how. We are going to come back. We have got to grow together, and to grow together, we have got to work together. And to get that result, Iowa needs to send Bruce Braley to the Senate.
[Joni Ernst , Iowa Senate Candidate:] We are reaching out to every Iowan that we possibly can. So, it's not just Republicans. It's independents and it's a lot of Democrats, too, that see the need to change direction.
[John Berman, Cnn Anchor:] Another big gun deployed in another trouble spot for the Democrats. This on the Kentucky Senate race. Hillary Clinton was stumping in Lexington for challenger Alison Lundergan grimes. Democrats had been hoping to pick off Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, but a new NBC NewsMarist poll has McConnell with a nine-point lead over Lundergan Grimes. That's up slightly from an 8- point edge in early September. Grimes and Clinton were seeking to define McConnell as a creature Washington.
[Alison Lundergan Grimes , Kentucky Senate Candidate:] He doesn't have a plan for the future. He doesn't have a vision that's for me or for you because our senator bought and paid for by the millionaires and billionaires. That's all he's been looking out for.
[Hillary Clinton, Former Secretary Of State:] Make sure you send Alison Lundergan Grimes to Washington to fight for you.
[Romans:] In Louisiana, Senator Mary Landrieu leading a three-way race for re-election by seven points. In Louisiana, a candidate has to reach 50 percent to win, otherwise, the top two vote-getters go to a runoff. And in a head-to-head matchup with Republican Bill Cassidy, the latest poll show Landrieu trailing.
[Berman:] In Georgia, Democrats have been hoping that Michelle Nunn could pick a Republican seat there. But the latest NBC NewsMarist poll shows that Republican David Perdue is ahead by four points. Now, as in Louisiana, neither candidate gets to 50 percent on Tuesday, they will go to a runoff. The Georgia runoff is January. That's how long you'd have to wait. Even then, if you look at the head to head matchup, the Republican still leads 48 percent to 44 percent. In a debate over the weekend, Nunn went after Perdue on economic inequality, where Perdue did his best to saddle Nunn with the president's deep unpopularity in Georgia.
[Michelle Nunn , Georgia Senate Candidate:] David, during your tenure at Dollar General, you made over $40 million. And yet, there were 2,000 women that sued the company during your tenure. And they said they were paid less, and it was found by federal investigators that they were paid less.
[David Perdue , Georgia Senate Candidate:] There's no wonder why this president wants you in Washington. He needs a rubber stamp to make this government bigger. He's already added $7 trillion to our debt. He wants to add $6 trillion more. He's on track to more than double our debt, even though he said he would cut it in half.
[Romans:] The president, to be fair, said he would cut the deficit in half, not the debt in half. The debt keeps going up because Congress passes bills to spend the money. Now, President Obama just wrapped up campaign stops in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, stumping for gubernatorial candidates in states where he is still popular enough to help turn out the voters. For the most part in this election, the president has been headlining big money fund-raisers for candidates who mostly refer to avoid standing next to him in rallies. CNN Washington correspondent Erin McPike has more from the White House.
[Erin Mcpike, Cnn Washington Correspondent:] John and Christine, President Obama headlined his last campaign rally of the season yesterday. He had campaigned in just seven rallies this year. He was in Connecticut yesterday afternoon campaigning for the Democratic governor. He has been trying to get the women and Latino voters. Listen here to him make an appeal just yesterday.
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] Hope is what America is all about, hope and better days. Hope and building up the middle class. Hope in handing down something better to our kids. That's why you have to vote. That's what Dan Malloy believes.
[Mcpike:] Now, again, President Obama won't be campaigning today or Tuesday. That was it. The White House is likely preparing for this possible Republican Senate takeover that would happen after the elections on Tuesday. Listen here to Republican Senator Rand Paul and former Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell talk about the likely outcome on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" yesterday.
[Sen. Rand Paul , Kentucky:] I think the wind is at our back. I think this election is going to be a referendum on the president. Even he acknowledged, his policies will be on the ballot. And he will indirectly on the ballot.
[Ed Rendell , Former Pa Governor:] I think the Republicans, be careful what you wish for. If they get the Senate, they better do something. They better send the president some responsible piece of legislation or they'll get crushed in 2016.
[Mcpike:] We also learned this weekend that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was briefed over the weekend. And he was told that he should expect that Wednesday morning, he will wake up and be the majority leader to be, John and Christine.
[Berman:] All right. Erin McPike, our thanks to you. President Obama's trip to Pennsylvania on Sunday faced a non-political hitch. Air Force One developed what the White House calls a non- mechanical problem with its wing flaps. That was where the president headlined a rally in Temple University. The plane replaced by a back up with a Boeing 757, usually used for runways too short to accommodate the modified 747 that the president normally flies.
[Romans:] There are tight races for governor across the country, also drawing plenty of star power. In Florida, Vice President Joe Biden campaigned for Democrat Charlie Crist, while former Governor Jeb Bush stumped for current Governor Rick Scott. Later today, Bill Clinton will put in his own appearance, making one last push for Charlie Crist at the University of Central Florida rally.
[Berman:] Signs that race for governor in Maryland may have tightened, even though Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1 in that state, a blue state. Democrat Anthony Brown, the current lieutenant governor, has slid to within a point of Republican Larry Hogan in the polls. And the respected "Cook Political Report" just declared the race is a toss up. National Democratic groups are pumping money into the race. And First Lady Michelle Obama headed in Baltimore today for a big rally at the War Memorial Building.
[Romans:] This is not the only close race for governor by any means. The Cook Political Report" now rates a total of 14 states across the country too close to call, including ten involving incumbents, the greatest number of imperiled incumbents in the report's 30-year history. Democrats had been hoping to eat into that lead on Tuesday, but they are finding themselves on defensive in several states they now hold, including in Maryland and Connecticut. GOP candidates cashing more checks from Wall Street than ever before. A record 63 percent of contributions from bank employees went to Republicans this cycle. $78 million, Wall Street looking for Republican victories because that could lead to more pro-business policies. At least that's the theory. That could be a win for several sectors. Financial sector, Democrats have turned up the heat on banks since the financial crisis. The Republican controlled Senate could change that. Also energy, Republicans will likely push for more lenient environmental policies or at least blocked restrictions. Finally, industrials, Republicans tend to support defense spending. That could help companies like Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
[Berman:] That's interesting, though. Not always the Tea Party. The Tea Party folks aren't for more defense spending.
[Romans:] That's right.
[Berman:] An apology this morning from Kaci Hickox, even the nurse has a court order blocking her quarantine, she still plans to stay away from her neighbors until her 21-day incubation period for Ebola expires.
[Kaci Hickox, Nurse:] I understand that the community has been through a lot in the past week and I do, you know, apologize to them for that. I will not go into town, into crowded public places. You know, I have had a few friends visit me in my home. And that's absolutely fantastic.
[Berman:] Hickox says her goal along has been to make the national debate about Ebola about science and not politics.
[Romans:] Meanwhile, a possible Ebola patient is being evaluated right now at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. This unidentified male patient flew into Newark International three days ago from Liberia. We are told he travelled to the Durham area on a commercial bus before developing a fever on Saturday. Lab results due back this morning.
[Berman:] A New York city doctor battling Ebola is showing signs of improvement this morning. Dr. Craig Spencer's condition had been serious, but stable, just upgraded now to stable. Nine days after he was admitted with a high fever. Spencer caught the virus in Guinea while treating patients. He was working with Doctors Without Borders.
[Romans:] It's been a raging debate. Should health care workers returning from West Africa, should they face mandatory quarantine even if they are showing no signs and symptoms of Ebola? Take a look at the results of the NBC News"Wall Street Journal" poll 71 percent of Americans say they should be subjected to 21-day quarantine. Only 24 percent, John, disagree with that. Breaking overnight: investigators revealing what may have caused the Virgin Galactic spacecraft to explode.
[Berman:] Plus, daredevil Nik Wallenda conquers the Chicago skyline and the television airwaves, tightrope walking between two skyscrapers blindfolded. What do you think he said the scariest thing was? We're going to tell you, next.