[Costello:] As you well know, it takes big bucks to run for office and this year's midterm election could set records. Chris Frates has the numbers for you.
[Chris Frates, Cnn Correspondent:] These are really important elections and the reason they're so important is that the Senate hangs in the balance. Right now Democrats control the Senate, Republicans want to control the Senate and that has made these very important elections very expensive. These things are going to cost $4 billion before we're over $4 billion is a lot of money. Most of us can't wrap our heads around it. It's like Bill Gates money, right? So the kinds of things you could do with $4 billion? You could put 24,000 kids through K-12 education. $4 billion is ten times more than the government has said they're going to spend on ebola and you could build 100 ebola treatment centers with that kind of money. So dark money, right? Sounds very sexy and it is. It's this is money that they don't disclose who the donors are. It's secret money essentially. A lot of the critics of this kind of group say we don't know who these people are, they give unlimited donations and they're only supporting one candidate. They're really just circumventing the campaign finance limits. Special interests, parties and candidates they're all dumping huge amounts of money into these elections because they want their team to control the Senate on November 5.
[Costello:] Chris Frates reporting. Wall Street is putting its midterm money on the Republicans. According to a new report, a majority of political contributions from individuals and firms are going to GOP candidates. CNN's Christine Romans is here to break it all down for us. Good morning.
[Christine Romans, Cnn Chief Business Correspondent:] Good morning. Remember it was Wall Street and the investment community that basically helped elect President Barack Obama remember? All of their money behind that candidate. How things have changed because they are betting on the Republicans in these midterms. In fact, when you look at the individual donations of people who work in the banking and finance industry you can see 63 percent of that money is going to GOP candidates, a total of $78 million. And according to the Center for Responsive Politics, Carol, that's a record high both percentage and raw dollars for a GOP in a midterm. So two reasons here, I think, that the money is backing the GOP here. One, either fairly or unfairly, Wall Street thinks it has been blamed for too many of the problems in the economy and too harshly treated in the wake of the financial crisis. But number two, I would say, Carol, is that they're betting who they think is the winning horse and that's really putting their money where they think they're going to get more results. Three sectors we'll be watching financials, energy and industrials those are the three sectors seen benefitting the most from Republicans controlling the Senate and the House so you're seeing individuals in those sectors funneling their money toward GOP candidates Carol.
[Costello:] Interesting. Christine Romans, many thanks as always. Still to come in the NEWSROOM, he really knows how to get our undivided attention. Daredevil Nik Wallenda defies death once again and picks up a few new records along the way.