Oh boy. We've now spotted two more Republicans who have continued to push the idea that China is drilling for oil near Florida, even after Dick Cheney retracted the claim and GOP Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida called it an "urban legend."

One is an incumbent Congressman, Mark Kirk of Illinois, and the other is Kieran Michael Lalor, a candidate running against an incumbent Democratic Congressman from New York. They do have something in common: Both are in extremely tough fights, and this is the kind of nationalist talk that can really rile up the party's base, regardless of the facts.

First up is Kirk.

A week and a half ago, Kirk appeared on the Don Wade & Roma Morning Show, a pair of conservative talkers based in the Chicago area, and declared: "We've got the Venezuelans, the Dutch, and the Chinese all drilling in the Gulf under leases from Cuba, because it's on their side of the line."

Neither Kirk's campaign or Congressional offices have responded to our inquiries. Kirk faces a potentially tough rematch against Dan Seals, his 2006 opponent who hopes to ride Barack Obama's local coattails to a win here.

Next up is Lalor, who is running to unseat freshman Democrat John Hall in a Republican-leaning district. The Middletown Times Herald-Record reports that Lalor said at a campaign event this past Thursday: "Even China is drilling in the Gulf. They're putting their straw right in our oil."

Lalor's campaign has not answered our calls or e-mails.

By our count, this makes six Republicans continuing to push this story even after Cheney backed off from it -- four incumbents, two challengers, and all in tough races.