Two party officials tell POLITICO that the NRCC will continue to air TV ads propping up Scozzafava in the days leading up to the Nov. 3 contest and plans to keep up a near relentless barrage of press releases slamming Hoffman…

One GOP official, granted anonymity in order to discuss party strategy candidly, said that while a Republican victory remained far from certain, Scozzafava’s following in the North Country-based district made her a better bet to win the remaining batch of undecided voters than Hoffman, who despite his personal ties to the district is nevertheless a resident of Lake Placid in New York’s neighboring 20th District and cannot vote in the race.

“It’s all a geographic play,” the GOP official explained. “There is a path to victory.”…

Asked why so many prominent Republicans had thrown their support to Hoffman, the official responded, “We’re dealing with data, not hopes and dreams.”