Zeev's Turnips Talk Politics (ZTTP)

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McCain dials back Minn. ad buys in final week

By BRIAN BAKST – 38 minutes ago

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Behind in the polls with a week to go, Republican John McCain is pulling back from the Minnesota television airwaves.

According to an Associated Press examination of Twin Cities ad records, McCain has scaled back his presence by diluting previous ad buys.

At his peak this month, the Arizona senator was spending more than a half-million dollars for a week's worth of ads on Twin Cities television. Until recently, Minnesota was one of the states where he was outspending Democrat Barack Obama on ads.

Obama is scheduled to run hundreds of commercials in the market between now and Election Day. Most independent polls have Obama with a lead in the state.

Minnesota was the site of the Republican National Convention in September.