No, Matt Drudge, the McCain Gap Isn't Closing

Sarah Palin's candidacy shook up the race, but polls show female support in line with past elections

(NEWSER) - Sarah Palin’s novel influence on the presidential campaign appears to have waned, and the “gender gap” among voters has reverted to that in past elections, the Chicago Tribune reports. That means women favor Democrat Barack Obama over Republican John McCain. Women will support Obama by a margin of between four and 11 percentage points on Election Day, predicts a scholar at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. More»

Dramatic shift in electorate favors liberals: poll

(NEWSER) - Blue states are far bluer than red states are red, says a new Gallup poll. Party registrations favor Democrats—they lead by 10 or more percentage points in 29 states and the DC, compared to four states where Republicans dominate—suggesting that Dems can expand on ther gains they made in last year's elections, the Hill reports. More»

(NEWSER) - If Saxby Chambliss defeats Jim Martin in the Georgia Senate runoff today, Democratic hopes of a 60-seat majority will be dashed, Politico reports. Here are five things to look for as voters go again to the polls.

• Turnout: Martin's hopes ride on higher than average black participation, which happened Nov. 4 but is doubtful today.

(NEWSER) - At 5 tonight, a wave of exit-polling results will be distributed to media insiders, who'll try manfully to resist sharing anything that might prejudice voters—even though it will kill them. At 6 pm, the results will start rolling in, and Politico gives you a play-by-play guide to what to look for as each state reports. Some highlights:

• Indiana: Polls close at 6 in the East, 7 in the West. An Obama win in the hotly contested state would give the McCain campaign pause.

What to watch for as the clock ticks on

(NEWSER) - Tonight’s election promises to end before bedtime, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be drama. Nate Silver breaks down which polls close when, and what to watch for.

• 6pm: Indiana and Kentucky: Usually these get called red right away, but this year Indiana is a toss-up.
• 7pm: Virginia, Georgia, and most of Florida and New Hampshire: We’ll get an idea how accurate polls are; Virginia is extremely important