Bush lends support to Swann fundraiser

LANCASTER, Pa., Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A Lancaster, Pa., fundraiser attended by U.S. President George Bush has raised $700,000 for Republican gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann.

The president's visit to Pennsylvania, during which he had earlier visited a Harley Davidson factory, was meant to highlight the economy and raise the profile of Swann, who has been 20 percentage points behind incumbent Democrat Edward Rendell in polls, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

"The people of Pennsylvania know that when you draft Lynn Swann, you get a man who performs," Bush said at the fundraiser.

Swann, a former Pittsburgh Steeler, said it was "cool" to appear with the president.

"This is going to be your team, folks," he said, standing with the president and his running mate, Jim Matthews. "This is going to be your team."

Swann is not the only high-profile black Republican candidate to suffer in the polls. Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell" class="tpstyle">J. Kenneth Blackwell, who is seeking the governor's office in that state, is also far behind his opponent, and Maryland Senate candidate Michael Steele has said his campaign has been hurt by the president's policies in Iraq.