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WASHINGTON National Democrats are scaling back on spending in House races where Democrats are challenging Republicans, but are buttressing Democrats trying to hold onto House seats, moves that could affect two relatively close races in the St. Louis area.

The net effect may be that St. Louis-area TV viewers could see fewer political ads from Illinois' 12th and 13th Districts over the next month - at least from the Democrats.

As Politico reported today, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has decided to pull October advertising dollars on St. Louis TV it had set aside for Democrat Ann Callis, who is challenging Illinois' 13th District Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville. A DCCC aide estimated that about $420,000 worth of advertising intended to help Callis may now be directed into other districts. But the DCCC official pointed out that it will continue to advertise for Callis on Champaign, Ill., television for at least three weeks in October.

The DCCC, which put an estimated $1 million of advertising on St. Louis TV in September on behalf of Rep. Bill Enyart, D-Belleville, intends to expand a pro-Enyart TV buy out of Paducah, Ky., which covers the southern end of Enyart's district, according to a DCCC aide. The DCCC also currently plans to be on the air for Enyart at the two weeks before the election. Enyart faces Republican challenger Mike Bost, an Illinois state legislator, in one of the country's hardest-fought House races.

DCCC spokesman Brandon Lorenz said that "ad reservations are changing every week, and Judge Ann Callis is running an aggressive campaign in a tough climate."

National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Katie Prill said the decision could be a "fatal blow" to the challenge campaign of Callis, who trailed Davis by double digits in a poll released publicly last week.

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Democrats pulling air support for Callis House campaign on St. Louis TV