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They support the president's re-election. But if Bush makes more than one visit to Republican-dominated South Carolina in the next 60 days, it could mean his re-election bid is in deep trouble.

In 1992, then-President George H. W. Bush spent part of the final weeks of his campaign riding a train through Georgia, North and South Carolina, stopping mainly in GOP strongholds.

Bush's whistle-stop tour stopped for about 15,000 people gathered in Spartanburg, which, along with Greenville, is the heart of Republican country in the state. The visit ignited Bush's base but did little to attract the all-important swing voters he needed for a second term. The president faltered in more competitive states, while independent candidate Ross Perot attracted middle-of-the-road voters and Democrat Bill Clinton won the White House.

S.C. Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson, a student of political history, has this advice for the president: Don't come to South Carolina this year if you don't have to.

"We welcome the president any time," Dawson said. "His affection for South Carolina is evident, and certainly I love President Bush. Is a visit necessary? We don't think so."

Bush carried South Carolina in 2000 with 57 percent of the vote. Democrat Al Gore drew 41 percent and the state was never in question. The last Democrat to win South Carolina was Jimmy Carter in 1976, and the state is expected to go Republican again this year for the seventh presidential election in a row.

Democrat John Kerry is not expected to be competitive in South Carolina. With 66 days left until the election, state Democratic leaders want to highlight the more than 55,000 manufacturing jobs South Carolina has lost since Bush took office, and they want to talk about the treatment of Kerry's Vietnam War record in a state with many military retirees.

"I would expect Democrats would love for Bush to visit South Carolina and to stay out of Florida, but I don't think that's going to happen," said state Rep. Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston, a delegate to the GOP convention.

Dawson said the president might do better to visit battleground states such as Ohio, Michigan and Florida. He'd like to see Bush make a brief stop here to campaign for U.S. Senate candidate Jim DeMint in his race against Democrat Inez Tenenbaum. In 2002, Bush visited a Columbia airplane hangar to campaign for Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, who were locked in tough election battles.

The 89 members of the South Carolina GOP delegation are staying at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel on Central Park South, about two miles from Madison Square Garden, site of the convention.

Few South Carolina Republicans will be in the convention spotlight. DeMint is scheduled to make a short speech sometime early Monday.

Former Attorney General Charlie Condon of Sullivan's Island, who is a delegate, expects few surprises at the convention. He believes Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have to communicate a re-election message that will play well nationally and appeal to independent voters.