By Caren Bohan

LA PLUME, Pa., Oct 19 (Reuters) - With some Republicans running away from President George W. Bush this election season because of the Iraq war, two endangered candidates welcomed him with open arms on Thursday.

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Don Sherwood is trying to survive a scandal involving an extramarital affair, and Virginia Republican Sen. George Allen has been in trouble over comments considered racially insensitive.

Polls suggest Democrats are in position to take control of the House of Representatives, and perhaps even the Senate, from Bush's Republicans in Nov. 7 elections, and Bush is scrambling to try to help fend off heavy losses.

That is how he ended up on a stage with Sherwood, who has acknowledged a five-year extramarital affair and is accused in a lawsuit of trying to choke his former mistress. The congressman denies the abuse and settled the lawsuit out of court.

At an event that raised $375,000 for Sherwood's campaign, Bush urged a grassroots effort to get Sherwood re-elected to a fifth term, saying he supports the president's goals of keeping taxes low and protecting Americans from terrorists.

"I strongly believe the people in this part of Pennsylvania need to send Don Sherwood back to the United States Congress," Bush said.

Also on stage was Sherwood's wife, Carol, who had written a letter to voters denouncing her husband's Democratic opponent, Chris Carney and saying it was time to move past the marital crisis.

"Don is a good person and has always been a hero to our daughters and without a doubt, will be again," she wrote.

Said Bush: "I read Carol Sherwood's letter to the citizens of this congressional district. I was deeply moved by her words. Carol's letter shows what a caring and courageous woman she is."

Then he was headed on to Richmond for a reception for Allen raising about $530,000 for his attempt to hang on to his seat.

Allen's position, once strong, became precarious after he referred to a Democratic activist of Indian descent who was trailing his campaign as "macaca," prompting charges of racial insensitivity.

Allen, who fosters a cowboy image, was once seen as prospective presidential candidate in 2008, but is locked in a neck-and-neck race with Vietnam veteran James Webb and some Republicans see the outcome of the contest as crucial to whether control of the Senate will shift.

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