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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

Peterson steps up fundraising while keeping mum on future plans

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WASHINGTON - DFL U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson's official line on whether he's seeking a 13th term in the U.S. House is that he hasn't decided yet. But for someone who's undecided, the longest serving member of Minnesota's congressional delegation is doing an awful lot of fundraising.

According to invitations obtained by MPR News, Peterson's congressional campaign will be hosting a trio of fundraisers at the end of this month ahead of a Federal Election Commission reporting deadline. One event will be in St. Paul while the other two will be in the capital. Fellow Democrat, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, will be a "special guest' at one event, according to the invitation.

Republicans have long sought to capture the largely rural 7th District Peterson represents because it's one of a dwindling number of Republican-leaning districts nationwide held by a Democrat. Peterson has won re-election comfortably for years often facing only token GOP opposition.

The National Republican Congressional Committee has recruited state Sen. Torrey Westrom to challenge Peterson this year. That move appears to have jolted Peterson's fundraising which jumped considerably in the last quarter of 2013 compared to previous election cycles, according to to the University of Minnesota's Smart Politics blog. As of Dec. 31, Peterson's campaign had $357,000 in the bank compared to Westrom's $83,000.

Given the small number of contested seats in the U.S. House, it's also possible conservative outside groups will spend heavily in the race if they perceive Peterson's standing in the district to be weak. Already, the Center for Responsive Politics estimates that the American Future Fund and the NRCC have spent more than $164,000 in the district to oppose Peterson.