As incumbent Republicans return home from an extended session to take on Democrats in debates, the face-to-face appearances have often revolved around Bush’s presidency and the Republicans’ alleged ties to Bush, even as the president nears his final days in office.

McCain was adamant in denouncing the tactic Wednesday during the last presidential debate at Hofstra University in New York, telling Obama to his face that “I am not President Bush” and promising to “give a new direction to this economy in this country.”

In Minnesota, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) has drawn much attention from Democrats for her break with Bush in recent days.

The freshman won YouTube infamy when she put her hand on Bush’s shoulder for an uncomfortably long period of time at the State of the Union address in 2007, waiting for a kiss from the president.

During her first congressional campaign in 2006, Bachmann told the Washington Post that she was “thrilled” to be associated with Bush.

During a debate Thursday, though, Bachmann said her Democratic opponent “is more in line with President Bush’s policies than I am” and said she would welcome Obama to her district if he is elected president.

“As a matter of fact, I would put my hand on his shoulder and give him a kiss if he wanted to,” Bachmann said.

Bachmann appeared relatively safe in her reelection bid until just recently, when national Republicans stopped spending in the neighboring 3rd district and moved to bolster her. A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) poll from last week showed Bachmann leading former state transportation commissioner El Tinklenberg, 42-38.

Similarly, Rep. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) asked Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) during their Senate debate on Wednesday to rate Bush’s performance as president.

Pearce said Bush “has served well” but pointed out that he has differed with the president on illegal immigration and the recent economic bailout, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Pearce has also distanced himself from the Bush administration by roundly criticizing Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.

Likewise, Nevada freshman Rep. Dean Heller (R) said at a debate this week that Paulsen “was born without ears,” according to the Las Vegas Sun. Heller also opposed the bailout.

In Kansas’s Senate race, Sen. Pat Roberts (R) was quick to point out that he voted on the Intelligence Committee in 2004 to confirm that there were flaws in intelligence leading up to the Iraq war – an ill-timed conclusion for Bush’s reelection campaign.

Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) is one of many members facing alleged ties to Bush on the president’s unpopular plan to privatize social security.

Democrats have brought the issue back amid the plummeting numbers on Wall Street, claiming that retirees would have been sunk with their savings locked into the stock market.

Terry, like Bachmann, just recently found himself targeted by national Democrats.

He retorted that he has voted to override a Bush veto four times, according to the Omaha World-Herald, and pointed out that that Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a noted maverick in the Senate, has also voted with Bush more than 90 percent of the time.

Some Republicans, though, have tried to use certain aspects of Bush’s tenure as positives. In particular, several have criticized their Democratic opponents for not supporting Bush’s tax cuts.

Former Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-N.H.) and Kansas state treasurer Lynn Jenkins have both used that line in recent days. Jenkins has made the tax cuts a centerpiece of her campaign.

The issue has also been used by Democrats, like former Michigan lottery commissioner Gary Peters, who have criticized the tax cuts for favoring the wealthy. Peters is challenging Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.).

In almost all of the districts being contested this year, Bush defeated Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 2004, but he has since seen his stock decline even among Republicans.