Candidates Welcome Bush

To be sure, a few Republicans are expressing reservations about a Bush visit. Rep. Anne M. Northup (R-Ky.), who represents a swing district in Louisville, told National Public Radio in mid-October that lawmakers needed to "wait and see" if a Bush appearance would be wise. She did not return a phone call yesterday.

Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) recently said he would not want Bush campaigning for him, but he made it clear that was more about the president's position on immigration than his broader appeal. Hayworth said "on nine out of 10 issues we line up pretty well." Even so, he pointedly refused to say he would welcome Bush for a fundraiser.

Rep. David Dreier (Calif.), a senior member of the House GOP leadership, said he has heard "mixed comments" from Republican colleagues about whether Bush would be welcome. But he noted that if Bush's approval numbers continue to creep upward, as they have in recent polls, that anxiety is likely to fade.

The calculation is most complex for Republicans running in Democratic districts or states, especially in the Northeast, where support for the Bush war policy is very low and concern about high winter energy costs is high.

A top White House aide, who would not speak on the record while discussing internal strategizing, said it is difficult for Bush to campaign for Republicans such as Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R-R.I.) who opposed his policies. The White House sent Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. to raise money for Chafee -- but it is unlikely Bush will work for Chafee personally.

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), who polls show is trailing Democrat Robert P. Casey Jr. in Democratic-leaning state, was accused by Bush critics of ducking a Memorial Day presidential visit to Tobyhanna for political reasons. But his spokesman, Robert L. Traynham II, said that was not a snub -- weeks earlier, Santorum had agreed to speak to a group of veterans in Philadelphia.

Traynham said he expects Bush to return to Pennsylvania for a fundraiser sometime next year.

"The president can come to Pennsylvania any time he wants," Traynham said. Bush plans to deliver a speech on Monday in Pennsylvania -- with Santorum by his side.

John Brabender, media consultant for Santorum, said there is no doubt Bush is much less popular in Pennsylvania than he was when he narrowly lost the state last year. "In the era we live in politically, numbers change quite dramatically [and] we believe Bush's are already on the rebound. If the environment improves, that would certainly help all Republican candidates."

Staff writer Shailagh Murray contributed to this report.