House GOP leaders on Wednesday welcomed the idea of presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) leaving the campaign trail and returning to Washington to help pass a $700 billion financial-sector bailout bill.

McCain’s announcement that he wants to cancel a presidential debate on Friday to help Congress pass the package “is a testament to the fact that John McCain is a guy who would rather be part of the solution than runaway from the fight,” House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) praised McCain’s proposal to hold a bipartisan leadership meeting of both chambers, including McCain and presidential opponent Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).

“Given that it is only a few months before a new president takes the oath of office, it is vital that the next president play an active role in crafting this critical plan,” Boehner said.

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) said a McCain visit could help negotiations because he could “talk to Members” and, with Obama, bring the parties together to more quickly advance a package.

“If you could get the two of them to close, it would help,” Davis said.

Asked if McCain’s announcement is more about politics than a desire to help with the bailout plan, Davis said, “There is politics in everything you do.”