BUFFALO - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton detoured from the presidential battleground states Wednesday to campaign at home in New York, where Democrats see a chance for meaningful gains in the state Senate and Congress.

And Rudy Giuliani, once Clinton's potential presidential rival, carried the Republican mantle at several upstate stops of his own.

The appearances by the parties' big guns follow substantial cash infusions into upstate races from the national organizations.

In Buffalo, Clinton boosted congressional candidate Alice Kryzan, who is running against Republican Chris Lee to fill the 26th District seat opened by retiring five-term Republican Thomas Reynolds.

It is one of four New York districts Democrats believe they can flip from Republican control. Democrats currently have a 23-6 advantage in the state delegation.

“We don't need people who are governed by ideology. We need people who want to solve problems, who are realistic and pragmatic, no-nonsense,” Clinton said at a rally for Kryzan and the rest of the party's western New York ticket. “The kind of people who get up every day right here in this great city and go to work and do the best they can.”

At an earlier stop in Utica, Clinton campaigned for freshman Rep. Michael Arcuri, who is being challenged in the 24th District by Republican Richard Hanna, a Cooperstown businessman. A later stop in Rochester was meant to help Eric Massa and Dan Maffei in the 29th and 25th districts, where both Democrats are putting up strong second efforts to win seats for Democrats.

Massa is challenging incumbent Republican Randy Kuhl, who has been dragged down like so many upstate Republicans by President Bush's unpopularity and the national economic downturn.

Maffei is hoping to keep Republican Dale Sweetland from extending a nearly 30-year GOP hold on the 25th District following the retirement of Jim Walsh.

Giuliani targeted the well-funded 20th Congressional District race, where Republican Sandy Treadwell, the state's former GOP chairman, is aggressively challenging incumbent Kirsten Gillibrand.

“We need someone who understands that we cannot raise taxes in a time of economic troubles,” Giuliani said at an Albany news conference in support of Treadwell.

Gillibrand, who surprised many by defeating the Republican incumbent in 2006, had raised $4.5 million by Oct. 15, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission. Treadwell, a General Electric Co. heir, poured $5.9 million of his own money into his campaign's $6.9 million war chest, the records show.

Giuliani's schedule also included two upstate rallies, in Halfmoon and Queensbury.

While in Buffalo, Clinton praised as “a breath of fresh air” political newcomer Joe Mesi, a popular former boxer trying to break into the state Senate in what has become a race not just for a seat but for control of the chamber. The GOP holds a one-seat majority in the Senate.

Mesi is running a close race against a veteran Erie County legislator, Michael Ranzenhofer, in the mostly Republican Buffalo-area district to succeed outgoing Mary Lou Rath.

Clinton also rallied for incumbent state Sen. William Stachowski, who is facing a tough re-election challenge from a popular former cold-case detective, Republican Dennis Delano.