President to campaign in Bangor

WASHINGTON – President Bush is scheduled to be in Bangor on Tuesday for a rally supporting Republican candidates for office.

According to Chuck Mahaleris, campaign manager for U.S. House candidate Steven Joyce, the president will be at Hangar 12 at the Bangor International Airport at 6 p.m.

Mahaleris said he expects people from all corners of Maine to attend the rally, which will support Republican candidates, including Sen. Susan Collins, gubernatorial candidate Peter Cianchette and House candidates Kevin Raye, running in the 2nd District, and Joyce, running in the 1st District. Last week, former President Bill Clinton held a rally for Democratic candidates at the Augusta Civic Center.

Bush stumped for GOP candidates in New Hampshire during his last trip to Maine, in which he spent the weekend at his parents’ home in Kennebunkport. He last visited Bangor in October 2000 when he was running for president and an estimated 3,000 people showed up for a campaign rally at BIA.

Although the White House had not formally announced the president’s travel plans as of Wednesday afternoon, Cynthia Bergman, communications director for the Maine Republican Party, confirmed Bush’s plan to attend a rally in Bangor next Tuesday and said Vice President Dick Cheney was expected to be in Portland on Monday. Cheney was scheduled to hold a fundraiser for GOP candidates at the Sheraton in South Portland at 11:30 a.m.

“A visit from the president and the vice president with less than three weeks to go is a huge boost to our candidates and our supporters as well,” Bergman said.

Campaign managers for Collins, Cianchette and Raye had no comment Wednesday afternoon on Bush’s rally plans. Joyce’s office is distributing 500 tickets for what they call “a big win for Maine.”