Minutes after the White House announcement Thursday to repeal the tariffs, Democratic presidential candidates lambasted Bush as shunning the US steel industry by caving in to threats from global trading partners.

Even more telling, Republicans who usually ally with Bush from politically key Rust Belt states declared their dismay in what Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio, described as "bad news" and a "disappointing setback."

But the decision will surely endear Bush to manufacturers of automobile parts, refrigerators, door hinges and hundreds of other steel products in just-as-politically-crucial states in the Midwest that eluded him in 2000.

"There's no question it will help," said Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Mich., who represents 1,500 auto parts businesses in his district and fought to end the tariffs when they were imposed in March 2002. Bush lost Michigan in 2000 by a slim 217,000 votes out of more than 4.1 million cast.

Michigan, along with Minnesota and Wisconsin, account for a total of 37 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win next year's presidential election. The key steel-producing states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio hold 46.

Facing the threat of a trade war, Bush lifted the nearly 2-year-old tariffs but promised to continue monitoring imports vigilantly to guard against a sudden flood of foreign steel entering the country.