The national committees have been busy in the Vermont U.S. House race.

A poll commissioned by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee indicates an 11 percent lead for Democratic U.S. House candidate Peter Welch. The poll, done with 401 voters Oct. 8-9 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research with a 5 percent margin of error, has Welch leading 52 percent to 41 perent over Republican Martha Rainville.

Rainville's campaign spokesman, Brendan McKenna, laughed upon hearing the numbers. "We think it's a lot closer than that," he said. He would not say whether the Rainville campaign had fresh polling numbers of its own.

Meanwhile, the National Republican Congressional Committee is making automated phone calls on Rainville's behalf. The calls seem to be going to just about everybody in Vermont, including Welch, who said he was unpersuaded by it to change his vote.

The message goes like this: "We need a leader like Martha Rainville to stand up for Vermont values and bring fresh thinking to Washington. Martha Rainville was named Vermonter of the Year by The Burlington Free Press for her leadership. She's had the courage to pave the way and lead with honor. Elect Martha Rainville."

Rainville was the Free Press editorial board's 2004 Vermonter of the Year.

Meanwhile, back at the Democratic camp, the DCCC has a new ad in support of Welch that declares him as the only candidate ready to end the war in Iraq. You can see it here.

- Terri Hallenbeck