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Home | Politically Connected | National Politics | U.S. House
Bachmann, Walz already lead fundraising race for '08
The two freshman House members anticipate rigorous campaigns to hold their seats, far outpacing their announced challengers during the past three months.
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WASHINGTON - Freshman House members Tim Walz and Michele Bachmann, both expecting strong challenges in 2008, raised more money in the last three months than any other U.S. House candidates in Minnesota.
Walz, a Democrat who won a big upset over Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht last year, raised $311,042, according to reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Bachmann, a leading Republican target of liberal interest groups and labor unions, reported $311,041 in contributions from July through September.
Their fundraising totals -- Bachmann's was less than $2 shy of Walz's -- give them both commanding leads over all announced challengers so far. With just over a year to go before voters go to the polls, Walz has more than $711,000 in the bank. Bachmann has nearly $568,000.
"They're both freshmen, and they had highly competitive races last time," said John Shockley, professor of political science at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. "They both want to raise money in anticipation of serious contests next November."
Among a pack of Republicans facing off to take on Walz, state Sen. Dick Day of Owatonna has amassed the biggest amount so far, with nearly $80,000 in the bank after raising more than $40,000 during this period.
Day is in a tight money chase with Mayo Clinic physician Brian Davis, who raised more than $81,000 in the past three months, leaving him with more than $74,000 after expenses.
Also in the race is Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield, who reported nearly $17,000 in contributions since July 1. Demmer has about $56,000 in cash on hand after lending his campaign $115,000 so far this year. Another candidate, Mark Meyer of Lake Crystal, reported $2,650 in contributions, giving him $3,017 on hand.
Former state Transportation Commissioner Elwyn Tinklenberg, the highest-profile DFL challenger to Bachmann, joined the race at the beginning of October and has yet to file a campaign cash report. DFLer Bob Olson, a bank and tax attorney, reported $31,000 in contributions. But he has also lent his campaign $119,000, giving him a $130,000 campaign account.
Meanwhile, in the scramble to fill the House seat being vacated by Republican Jim Ramstad, DFL Sen. Terri Bonoff has jumped into the fundraising lead, taking in $88,500 in the last 10 days of September.
The best-known Republican candidate in the race, Rep. Erik Paulsen, had no fundraising to report before the Sept. 30 cutoff for the third-quarter reporting period.
Ramstad, who announced his retirement on Sept. 17, nevertheless took in more than $168,000 in campaign contributions after July 1.
Ramstad, in his ninth term, now sits atop a campaign war chest of $831,261, a substantially larger sum than the state's two other senior House members, Democrats Jim Oberstar and Collin Peterson.
Oberstar reported nearly $189,000 in contributions over the last three months, leaving him with $675,000 in cash on hand. Peterson, raised $162,000, leaving him with $482,000.
Magnuson said the Ramstad campaign money is currently being returned to contributors who request it. The rest will be used for volunteer committee expenses, charitable contributions and political donations.
Under FEC rules, Ramstad's campaign can give no more than $2,000 to any candidate in the election, although there is no limit on how much he can distribute to national and state party committees.
In another potentially competitive race, Republican John Kline took in nearly $193,000, giving him $312,000 in cash on hand. Iraqi war veteran and former Watertown Mayor Steve Sarvi, a DFLer, entered the race after the close of the last campaign fundraising period.
Kevin Diaz • 202-408-2753
Kevin Diaz • kdiaz@startribune.com
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