George W. Bush, Mitt Romney to visit Arizona to boost Martha McSally

Former President George W. Bush and Utah Senate candidate Mitt Romney are scheduled to visit Arizona in the coming weeks to boost Senate candidate Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), who is locked in a tight race.

The Arizona Republic reported that the two prominent Republicans will make separate trips to fundraise for McSally and the GOP in an effort to bolster support among more moderate Republicans.

Romney, the 2012 presidential nominee who is running to replace retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), is expected to headline a rally Friday. Romney, who is Mormon, will stump for McSally in the state’s East Valley, which has a large Mormon population, The Arizona Republic reported.

{mosads}Bush will head to the state on Oct. 19 to host a private fundraiser in Scottsdale, the news outlet reported. Attendees must contribute $2,700 per person to attend the event and $5,000 for a photo with the former president.

McSally is squaring off with Rep. Krysten Sinema (D-Ariz.) in the race to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). A CBS News poll released Sunday showed the Democrat with a 3-point advantage in the race, though the difference fell within the poll’s margin of error, making it a statistical dead heat.

Polling out Wednesday showed McSally gaining ground as the election approaches.

A RealClearPolitics average of polls shows Sinema with a narrow 1.8 percentage point lead heading into the final month of campaigning.

Democrats see the seat as one they can flip as they face a difficult map in their attempt to take back the upper chamber.

The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election forecaster, rates the Senate race in Arizona as a “toss-up.”