good morning, everybody. i'm rob nelson. >> and i'm vinita nair. well, we are heading into the campaign home stretch with midterm elections just six days away now. >> the republicans hope to steal congressional power, and the democrats still desperate to keep it. john hendren has more now from washington. good morning to you, john. >> reporter: good morning, vinita and rob. the president has already filled out his illinois write-in ballot, and it should come as no surprise the white house says he checked the boxes for pat quinn for governor and alexi giannoulias for senate. both democrats. and in one of those races the president has a very personal stake. the struggle for the president's old senate seat is a sign of just how embattled this election year is. >> what an amazing signal it would send to take the barack obama seat and make it the mark kirk seat. >> reporter: republican mark kirk has hammered democrat alexi giannoulias over those who got loans at his family's bank. >> blagojevich, rezko, and the mob. alexi giannoulias. he'd make tony soprano proud. >> reporter: democrats are most