Poll position: A day before Election Day, a new poll by NBC News/Marist shows Republican Senate candidates are in strong positions in Louisiana and two other key Southern states, putting the GOP well within striking distance of regaining control of the upper chamber. While Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu leads in a three-way contest with 44% of the vote, she trails in a hypothetical runoff against either Republican candidate—Rep. Bill Cassidy or Tea Party candidate Rob Maness. Read the full story.
The game has changed: Republicans, Democrats and their advocacy groups are gearing up to navigate an Election Day governed by voting rules that have changed since the last national election, some of which are still tied up in the courts. The Associated Press reports that for Republicans, the effort is about maintaining ballot integrity and preventing fraud. Democrats and their allies, meanwhile, say the focus is maximizing participation. Read the full story.
Flipping the script: As crude prices tumble, big oil companies are confronting what once would have been heresy: They need to shrink. Even before U.S. oil prices began their summer drop toward $80 a barrel, the three biggest Western oil companies had lower profit margins than a decade ago, when they sold oil and gas for half the price, according to a new analysis by The Wall Street Journal. Read the full story (subscription may be required).
