SOUTH PORTLAND – First lady Laura Bush appeared at a fundraiser Wednesday that raised nearly $100,000 for the Maine Republican Party.

The wife of President Bush was a guest at a reception at the home of Peter Cianchette, a member of the Republican National Committee and the party’s 2002 gubernatorial nominee.

About 120 people attended the event, paying between $250 and $5,000 each, Cianchette said.

Mrs. Bush spoke to the crowd about the Bush family’s relationship with Maine and her appreciation for the state. She also recognized the accomplishments of Maine’s two Republican senators, Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins.