AP Top News at 3:38 p.m. EST

AP Top News at 3:38 p.m. EST

NY Gov. Paterson drops election bid amid scandal

NEW YORK — Less than a week after declaring he would seek a full four-year term, New York Gov. David Paterson abruptly dropped his election bid Friday under pressure from Democrats concerned about his faltering agenda and criticism of his handling of a domestic abuse case involving a trusted aide. At a news conference in New York City, Paterson cited an accumulation of distractions, but said he had never abused his office.