Nat'l GOP Gives Up in New York, Says Times

The House races in New York state have been very expensive this year -- the champ is Gillibrand-Treadwell, which has cost its contenders a combined total of $9.2 million dollars so far. But they're about to get much cheaper -- on one side, at least: the Times reports that the national Republican Party has cut off spending to all but two of its candidates here: John Randy Kuhl, who faces a challenge from Eric Massa in the 29th District, and Chris Lee, who is running for retiring GOP Rep Tom Reynolds' seat in the 26th against Democrat Alice Kryzan and WFP candidate Jonathan P. Powers. The Republicans are desperately funding McCain in the final stretch, and many of the local House races that once looked like good GOP bets are no longer considered sound investments of the party's dwindling resources.

In related news, the Obama campaign is campaigning aggressively in Montana.