A new Quinnipiac poll in Iowa finds Joni Ernst (R) is inching ahead among likely voters in the U.S. Senate race and now has 49% to 45% lead over Bruce Braley (D).

“Republicans have the opportunity to take control of a record number of state legislative chambers across the country this year, as Democrats play defense in unfavorable terrain,” the Washington Post reports.

“The Republican landslide in 2010 and the subsequent redistricting process in 2012 gave the GOP control of a nearly unprecedented number of legislative chambers. Today, the party controls 59 of the 98 partisan chambers in 49 states, while Democrats control only 39 chambers (One legislature, Nebraska’s is officially nonpartisan). Once election results are tabulated in the 6,049 legislative races on the ballot in 46 states this year, Republicans could find themselves running even more.”

A new Quinnipiac poll in Connecticut finds Gov. Dannel Malloy (D) and challenger Tom Foley (R) tied 43% to 43% in the race for governor.

Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) “is crisscrossing the country in a bid to run up his House majority and ease his job leading a fractious GOP conference,” The Hill reports.

“The Ohio Republican is spending the final, precious days of the 2014 campaign flying into House races that had been seen as out of reach for the GOP just weeks ago.”

A new Loras College Poll in Iowa finds Bruce Braley (D) with an edge over Joni Ernst (R) in the U.S. Senate race, 45% to 44%.

A new SurveyUSA poll in Georgia finds David Perdue (R) leading Michelle Nunn (D) in the U.S. Senate race by three points, 48% to 45%.

Last week’s survey found Nunn leading by two points.

Martha Coakley (D) released an internal poll that shows her trailing Charlie Baker (R) in the race for Massachusetts governor by two points, 44% to 42%, the Boston Globe reports.

Roll Call highlights the battle for control of the U.S. Senate.

A new Monmouth University poll in South Dakota finds Mike Rounds (R) with a double-digit lead over Rick Weiland (D) in the U.S. Senate race, 45% to 31%, with Larry Pressler (I) at 19%.

A new Survey USA poll shows Rounds leading Weiland, 43% to 32% with Pressler at 19%.

FiveThirtyEight: “If there’s a race that keeps us awake at night, it’s Alaska. The state is home to one of the most important Senate races in the country, but it also has a history of quirky and often inaccurate polling.”

“Has Begich made a comeback? Perhaps… But there are many reasons to be skeptical. Public sentiment almost never shifts so much so quickly in a general election, especially this late in the race, without major precipitating news events. A candidate might gain a couple of points over a month on the basis of a superior campaign — but usually not more than that.”

First Read says Republicans have two big challenges to governing if they win control of both the House and Senate next week.

“One, after portraying Obama as either incompetent, ruthless, or both, how do Republicans sell any kind of deal with Obama back to their base? That’s the problem when your message, especially on the campaign trail, is entirely against the president. It makes cutting deals with him AFTER the election more difficult. Two, to pass legislation in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and Republicans will need to get 60 votes — and that means placating the GOP conservatives (including those running for president next year), the GOP moderates (Susan Collins and the folks up for re-election in 2016 like Mark Kirk, Kelly Ayotte, etc.), as well as centrist Democrats (Joe Manchin, Angus King, etc.). That won’t be an easy task.”

Molly Ball: “Republicans promise that if they seize the majority, they’ll stop Obama–and stop the Washington gridlock. Can they really do both?”

First Read: “How can the national polls look so bad for Democrats (see the NBC/WSJ/Annenberg and Washington Post/ABC polls), but the competitive Senate contests all be within the margin of error? Here’s an answer for you: There are two different midterm environments taking place in the country a week before Election Day. The first is the nationwide one, where there does seem to be a wave building for Republicans and where the GOP has a huge enthusiasm advantage. The second election, however, is taking place in the top Senate and gubernatorial battlegrounds, where Democrats have spent a tremendous amount of money building field organizations and getting (as best they can) their side fired up.”

“This tale of two different midterm elections — not too dissimilar from what we saw in 2012 where the national and battleground polls didn’t match up — also helps explain why House Democrats are in trouble in states not holding competitive races like in California, Minnesota and New York (after all, embattled GOP Rep. Michael Grimm could very well win).”