McCain Gives Up on Michigan

The AP reports that John McCain has given up on winning in Michigan and will be spending these last few weeks before Election Day elsewhere.

Republican officials with knowledge of the strategy said the GOP candidate is shifting resources to other states. Democrat John Kerry won here in 2004, but McCain had tried to make it a target to switch parties this year amid economic problems in the state.

The news came as Barack Obama campaigned in the state Wednesday.

The Arizona senator canceled a trip to the state next week, he won't run ads on TV after this week and is dispatching staffers to states that show him in stronger position.

Reports also note that while the RNC has just gone on TV in Michigan, there's no indication that the ad buy will continue.

Shifting staffers is a constant for the campaigns. After McCain named Palin as his running mate, some of Obama's Alaska staff was moved elsewhere, including Nevada. The Obama campaign still has four offices open in Alaska, despite McCain's 22-point lead there.

--Laurel Wamsley

3:42 PM ET | 10- 2-2008 | permalink

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