House Republicans pull the plug on efforts to knock of four Democratic incumbents.

House Republicans are scaling back television advertising reserved for four Democratic-held seats in Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia, officials said Wednesday, fresh evidence of the party's struggles as it tries to retain its majority.

At the same time, GOP strategists signaled they intend to spend nearly $1 million in an attempt to hold the seat recently vacated by Rep. Mark Foley. The Florida Republican quit Congress last month after being confronted with sexually explicit computer messages he sent to teenage male pages.

These late in the campaign redirections of money happen every cycle. And both parties will be shifting money from less to more promising opportunities. But this is another sign that Republicans can see it's all defense this cycle.