PAC Dogs: Oberstar and Peterson Receive More than Half Their Money from Special Interests

PAC contributions to Paulsen up 36 percent from 2008 cycle; contributions to Bachmann down 51.2 percent

While national and statewide media interest in Minnesota congressional fundraising has spiked during the last few weeks, what with the jaw-dropping contributions reeled in by Michele Bachmann and the eye-opening lack of funds raised in-district by Jim Oberstar, there are other fundraising trends bubbling beneath the surface.

Smart Politics finds special interest PAC money to Minnesota’s eight congressional incumbents is down more than a half a million dollars this election cycle, or 10.4 percent, compared to the first seven quarters of the 2007-2008 campaign.

Still, Minnesota’s two most influential members of Congress, Committee Chairmen Jim Oberstar and Collin Peterson, are collecting more than half of their fundraising through special interest money.

PAC Money Received in 2008 and 2010 Election Cycles by Minnesota U.S. Representatives

Candidate	District	2007-2008	2009-2010	% Change
Oberstar	MN-08	$1,018,589	$843,690	-17.2
Peterson	MN-07	$777,566	$833,000	+7.1
Paulsen	MN-03	$563,539	$766,468	+36.0
Kline	MN-02	$529,665	$587,610	+10.9
Walz	MN-01	$844,496	$627,071	-25.7
Bachmann	MN-06	$839,978	$410,062	-51.2
McCollum	MN-04	$334,680	$326,182	-2.5
Ellison	MN-05	$296,619	$268,841	-9.4
Average		$5,205,132	$4,662,924	-10.4

Note: Through September 30th of the 2008 and 2010 election cycles. FEC data compiled by Smart Politics.

Oberstar, who heads the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, leads the way with $843,690 in PAC receipts through the end of September.

While that is tops in the delegation, it is down 17.2 percent from this stage of the 2008 cycle, when the 18-term DFLer had notched over $1 million in PAC funds.

In each of the last two election cycles, PAC money was the largest source of Oberstar’s campaign funds – 55.6 percent in 2008 and 52.0 percent in 2010.

Peterson, Chair of the Agriculture Committee, is next with $833,000 – up 7.1 percent from this stage of his 2008 campaign and just $10K shy of catching his colleague from the 8th CD.

Peterson by far raises the largest percentage of his campaign funds from special interests, with 78.6 percent of his 2010 fundraising coming from PACs (up from 73.1 percent at this stage in 2008).

Even though he is just a freshman in Congress, Erik Paulsen comes in at a close third with $766,468 in PAC money raised through September – up more than $200,000 from this point in his 2008 campaign, or 36.0 percent.

But perhaps the most interesting tale is the one told by Michele Bachmann’s fundraising numbers.

Through September 2008, Bachmann had raised $839,978 from special interests, or just $4,500 less than the second most of the eight-member Gopher State delegation.

In the current cycle, PACs have only given $410,062 to Bachmann – down a whopping 51.2 percent – continuing a trend observed by Smart Politics a year ago.

Bachmann now rates just sixth in the delegation in PAC money raised in 2009-2010, ahead of only Betty McCollum ($326,182) and Keith Ellison ($268,841).

But Bachmann – who will eclipse $12 million this cycle before all is said and done – is hardly hurting from this huge dip in PAC support.

While PAC contributions constituted 35.6 percent of her funds at this stage of the campaign in 2008, only 4.3 percent of her fundraising this cycle comes from special interests.

Bachmann’s DFL opponent, Tarryl Clark, relies almost twice as much on PAC funds, with her $314,608 in special interest money tallying 8.1 percent of her funds to date.

No other congressional challenger in the Gopher State has raised even $100,000 from PACs yet this cycle, with Randy Demmer the closest at $80,250 (13.2 percent).

Change in Percentage of Funds Raised from PACs During 2008 and 2010 Election Cycles by Minnesota U.S. Representatives

Candidate	District	% 2008	% 2010
Peterson	MN-07	73.1	78.6
Oberstar	MN-08	55.6	52.0
McCollum	MN-04	51.6	47.7
Kline	MN-02	50.7	43.0
Walz	MN-01	36.2	35.4
Paulsen	MN-03	25.2	32.0
Ellison	MN-05	21.7	22.9
Bachmann	MN-06	35.6	4.3

Note: Through September 30th of the 2008 and 2010 election cycles. FEC data compiled by Smart Politics.

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