Hi from CNN, this is Madeline Thompson with five things you need to know for Thursday

October 31st.

The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee said he's confident that the GOP

will defend its majority in the House in this election. I asked CNN's

Elise Hammond to tell us what's happening further down the ballot.

Hi Madeline so Republicans have a slim margin in the chamber right now largely because of

gains in New York and California in 2022.

Richard Hudson, that's the chairman of the NRCC, said those two states are expected to be key again this year.

Based on race ratings by nonpartisan analysis site inside elections,

Republicans are favored to win 212 seats next week, while Democrats are favored to win

208.

Now that means 15 seats are rated as toss-ups and with less than a week until election day,

Hudson said right now the GOP is focused on

getting their voters to the polls.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech this afternoon outlining

his strategy as Israel battles Hamas in Gaza and

Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. He said his country's quote,

supreme objective is stopping Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

But Israel's military leaders are signaling that the country has achieved all it can militarily in Lebanon and Gaza,

and it's time for the politicians to strike a deal.

U.S. envoys arrived in Israel today for talks amid reports of a possible imminent ceasefire in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, a Hamas official has said the organization would reject a deal that doesn't lead to a permanent

...