Judge rejects GOP effort to throw out 127K Texas votes

Chris Hollins, the county clerk in Harris County, Texas, announced Monday evening that, despite the favorable court ruling earlier in the day, all but one of the county's drive-thru voting locations will be closed on Tuesday.

Earlier Monday District Judge Andrew Hanen rejected a Republican effort to invalidate roughly 127,000 drive-thru votes cast in Harris County -- but said he would cease drive-thru voting on Election Day if the case is sent back to him due to his position that the "tents" where drive-thru votes are cast are not "buildings," where votes are required to be cast under Texas law.

As a result, Hollins announced on Monday evening that the only drive-thru location open on Tuesday would be the Toyota Center, home to the NBA's Houston Rockets, which Hollins says fits the "building" definition.

"I cannot in good faith encourage voters to cast their votes in tents if that puts their votes at risk," Hollins tweeted Monday evening.

"In order to allow for drive-thru voting on Election Day while ensuring that all votes will be counted, the only drive-thru voting center on Election Day will be at Toyota Center," he said.

Not long after Hollins' tweet, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals announced it had denied the injunction being sought to shut down drive-thru voting.

"It is ordered that appellants’ motion for injunctive relief to issue a preliminary injunction banning drive-thru voting on Election Day, November 3, 2020, is denied," the court said in its ruling.

The ruling opened up the possibility that the country could resume full drive-thru voting on Election Day, but there was no immediate word on whether officials would try to do that.

With a population of 4 million, Harris Country is the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States.

-ABC News' Adam Kelsey

Biden’s final event before Election Day took place in one of the cities where his campaign began roughly 18 months ago: Pittsburgh. At the drive-in rally, he noted that both of the state’s NFL teams won this week and projected confidence on the eve of the national vote.

“The Steelers got a big win yesterday, the Eagles got a big win last night. So we can both be happy. And folks, I have a feeling we're coming together for a big win tomorrow,” he declared.

Biden spoke about a "full circle" moment with his holding one of his final events in Pittsburgh, which is also where his campaign held its first official event in April 2019 at the IBEW union hall. 

A fired up, and practically shouting, Biden gave an impassioned pitch to voters about their power to decide the election outcome. 

“Tomorrow's the beginning of a new day. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has left hard working Americans out the cold," Biden said. "Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has divided this nation, and fanned the flames of hate. Tomorrow we can put an end to a presidency that has failed to protect this nation."

There's nothing, nothing that's gonna stop the people of this nation from voting, period. And when America votes, America will be heard. And when America is heard I believe the message will be loud and clear. It's time for Donald Trump to pack his bags and go home,” Biden added.

In brief remarks ahead of her performance, Lady Gaga also urged voters to head to the polls saying that turnout will be "crucial."

-ABC News' John Verhovek

Thousands of supporters lined up in the cold ahead of President Trump’s final campaign rally of the 2020 election cycle in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Monday night -- where he also ended his 2016 campaign. 

The scene at Avflight Grand Rapids -- where the president is set to speak at 11:30 p.m. -- was a familiar one for the president's rallies over the course of the campaign: Dozens of Trump 2020 flags blowing in the wind, food trucks and vendors selling unofficial shirts and MAGA masks. 

The line to get in was massive, with hardly any supporters wearing masks and with those at front saying they'd been waiting as early as 7 a.m.

-ABC News' Will Steakin

With more than $200 million outside spending pouring in, the North Carolina Senate race has been the most expensive congressional race so far in 2020, followed by the Iowa and South Carolina Senate races, according to the Center for Responsive Politics’ analysis of campaign spending records.

In all of the 10 most expensive Senate races this year, Democrats have been vastly outraising and outspending Republicans, especially where Democratic challengers are competing against Republican incumbents. Meanwhile, big-money outside political groups from across the aisle have been driving up the spending.

Across the Senate battleground, North Carolina is a state that perhaps more than any other could ultimately tilt control of the chamber - reflected in a stunning $280 million in campaign money and outside money being poured into the state.

In the competitive race, recent polling shows Republican Sen. Thom Tillis trailing slightly behind Democrat Cal Cunningham. The candidates have spent more than $64 million in the contest, with Cunningham raising and spending more than twice the amount from Tillis, while outside groups across the board have spent upwards of $215 million supporting the two.

Similarly, the contest between Republican Sen. Joni Ernst and Democratic challenger Theresa Greenfield in Iowa has attracted far more spending from political interest groups than the candidates. The candidates’ campaigns have spent about $64 million so far, but outside groups have funneled at least $170 million into the race, with more than $94 million going into unseating the incumbent senator and more than $74 million spent to fend off the challenger.

South Carolina rounds out the top three, with more than $209 million being spent in a state that is surprisingly competitive this cycle for the Senate. The candidates have spent far more than outside groups though, with $164 million being spent by Democrat Jaime Harrison and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, compared to $45 million by outside groups. Harrison’s campaign, in particular, raised a whopping $107 million and spent $104 million of that by mid-October, compared to Graham, who raised $72 million and spent $60 million.

Arizona and Maine finish in the top five, with more than $208 million and $180 million spent in each respective race. Similar to South Carolina, the Arizona candidates’ campaigns -- Sen. Martha McSally and Democrat Mark Kelly -- have poured more money into the contest -- more than $125 million -- compared to outside groups at roughly $83.4 million.

In Maine, where outside groups are spending more than candidate campaigns, Democratic challenger Sara Gideon has raised and spent twice the amount Republican Sen. Susan Collins, but about the same amount of outside money has supported the two candidates.

-ABC News' Kendall Karson and Soorin Kim