Dems Abandon a Dozen House Races

As Election Day draws near, Democrats are bowing to a harsh reality. While the Republican Party, brimming with confidence and campaign funds, can afford to be competitive in more races, Dems are abandoning 12 House seats they hold in favor of lending more support to candidates with a chance of hanging on. While retrenching is normal at this stage in the election, Dems are worried about the state of their opponents’ widening influence. The GOP is even challenging traditionally safe seats in Massachusetts. "The field is essentially expanding by the day," said a spokesman for National Republican Congressional Committee. An NPR poll Friday showed that in 58 so-called Democratic-held battleground districts, 47 percent of voters would be choosing a Republican for Congress, while only 44 percent said they would be voting for a Democrat. Meanwhile, Bill Clinton tried to help keep the Dems’ flame alive by urging supporters to get out the vote at a California rally for Jerry Brown.