Candidates make final charge in US elections

The duel for the US Congress enters its final day today with President George W Bush campaigning in four key states to try and…

The duel for the US Congress enters its final day today with President George W Bush campaigning in four key states to try and regain control of the legislature for his Republican Party.

All 435 House seats, 34 of 100 Senate seats and 36 of 50 state governorships are at stake in an election campaign that is expected to produce no major swings for either party.

Last night, Mr Bush rallied voters in Minnesota, where Republican Mr Norm Coleman and former Democrat presidential candidate Mr Walter Mondale plan to hold the only debate of their unprecedented five-day campaign today.

Mr Mondale (74) stepped into the race on Wednesday night to replace Senator Paul Wellstone just days after Mr Wellstone's death in a plane crash.

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Mr Bush will attend rallies in Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and his home state of Texas, where tight political races could decide whether Republicans hold their six-seat edge in the House of Representatives and overtake the one-seat Democratic control of the Senate.

High-profile Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Mr Tom Daschle, House Minority Leader Mr Richard Gephardt and former vice-president Mr Al Gore will be touring the country to gain support ahead of tomorrow's vote.

Democrats hope history - the party in power in the White House traditionally loses seats in midterm elections - and voter unease about the stumbling economy work to their advantage. But public opinion polls and analysts see little evidence Republicans and Mr Bush are being blamed for the lacklustre economic performance.

With Republicans slightly favoured to hold the House, most of the focus has been on the Senate, where every race is crucial, given the one-seat Democratic majority.