White House confirms Bush visit to Minneapolis Sunday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- President Bush will campaign Sunday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul with GOP Senate hopeful Norm Coleman and other Republican candidates, the White House confirmed Thursday.

Coleman is locked in a tight race with former Vice President Walter Mondale, who was tapped by the DFL Party Wednesday night to replace the late Sen. Paul Wellstone on the ballot.

It will be the fifth visit to the state for President Bush, who has made the Minnesota Senate race one of his top political priorities. The race is one of a few this year that could determine which party controls the Senate next year.

Bush will appear at a 4 p.m. rally Sunday at the Xcel.

When he was St. Paul's mayor, Coleman helped get the glitzy hockey arena built so the capital city could land an NHL expansion franchise, the Minnesota Wild. He often cites it as tangible evidence of his leadership ability.

First lady Laura Bush will campaign for Minnesota Republicans on Saturday. She will appear at a rally at Eagan High School at 6 p.m.