First lady to attend Sodrel campaign rally

COLUMBUS, Ind. -- First lady Laura Bush plans another trip to Indiana next week to speak at a campaign rally for Republican Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th.\nIt will be the first lady's second appearance this year on behalf of Sodrel, who is in a tight re-election effort against former Democratic Rep. Baron Hill in southern Indiana's 9th District.\nThe rally with Bush is planned for Wednesday afternoon at the Bartholomew County Fairgrounds and will be open to the public with advance registration with the Sodrel campaign.\n"This is simply a rally to fire up our supporters for the last couple weeks, the homestretch," Sodrel campaign manager Cam Savage said Friday. "We want to remind everybody how important it is they go vote and get their neighbors out to vote."\nIn a sign of the importance national Republicans are placing on the Sodrel-Hill race, White House press secretary Tony Snow is scheduled to speak at a Sodrel luncheon Oct. 30 in Jeffersonville, Ind.\nThe first lady spoke during a Sodrel fund raiser in June at a Starlight winery that raised about $200,000. In a visit to South Bend last week, she helped raise about $210,000 for Republican Rep. Chris Chocola, who is in a heated race with Democratic challenger Joe Donnelly.