Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is set to visit Newfoundland and Labrador Saturday, his party confirmed Tuesday.

CBC News has learned Harper will visit a rally in the hotly-contested riding of Avalon on Saturday night.

This will be Stephen Harper's first visit to NL since November 2012 when he was in Labrador for hydro loan guarantee <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/elxn42?src=hash">#elxn42</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nlpoli?src=hash">#nlpoli</a> —@CochraneCBCNL

The planned visit comes nearly two weeks after NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau visited the St. John's-Mount Pearl area.

Lorraine Barnett, who is the director of regional affairs with the office of the federal minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador, is the Conservative candidate in the federal riding.

Barnett is up against Liberal Ken McDonald, NDP Jeannie Baldwin, Independent Scott Andrews and Green Party candidate Krista Byrne-Puumala

Radio debate: Scott Andrews, Jeannie Baldwin, Ken McDonald and Lorraine Barnett 1:30:04

Andrews is the incumbent in the seat. He was forced out of the federal Liberal caucus in March amid allegations of harassment.

Well-known lawyer and son of former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister John Crosbie, Ches Crosbie, was rejected by the Conservative Party of Canada as a candidate in Avalon.

The move sparked large debate, which included criticism from John Crosbie who felt his son's candidacy bid was sabotaged.