WASHINGTON – He’s still the underdog but there are indications that Democrat Jake Johnson’s campaign against Rep. Brad Finstad surged over the summer.
According to the latest reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), Johnson, a high school math teacher who has never held political office, has outraised Finstad when it comes to political cash.
Johnson has raised about $3.2 million since he launched his challenge to Finstad last year while the Republican congressman who represents the 1st Congressional District in southern Minnesota has raised about $2.6 million.
The gap in fundraising was largely due to contributions Johnson received in the third quarter of this year. During those summer months, he raised $1.2 million while Finstad raised about $578,000.
The strength of Johnson’s campaign has been noted by the Cook Political Report, which on Friday announced it had changed its rating of the 1st District race from “Likely Republican” to “Lean Republican.”
Before Johnson entered the race the Cook report rated it “Solid Republican.”
Currently, the Minnesota lawmakers in the House are evenly split between the parties — four Democrats and four Republicans.
The 1st District gives Democrats their best chance to flip a seat and upset that balance. To help do that, Minnesota’s DFL Party has donated $76,000 to Johnson’s campaign.
But what was once a swing district has shifted to the GOP as Greater Minnesota has joined other rural regions of the country in becoming conservative bastions. In 2024, Trump won the district 56% to 42% and Finstad did even better, defeating his Democratic opponent 58% to 41%.
The race for retiring Sen. Tina’s Smith’s seat has also become surprisingly competitive.
The latest FEC reports show that Democratic Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, who has rejected any money from corporate PACs, has raised more than $9.8 million in campaign cash. Nearly $3.5 million was raised in the last quarter.
Her Republican rival, Michele Tafoya, has raised nearly $8.5 million – more than $3.6 million in the last quarter.
Both candidates had more than $1 million in cash on hand as of Sept. 30. But unlike other close Senate races across the nation, the race in Minnesota has not attracted millions of dollars in independent spending from the national Democratic and Republican parties.
There is also a hard-fought race in the 2nd Congressional District, where there is an open seat with the retirement of Rep. Angie Craig. Campaigns for competitive open seats are generally expensive, but the fundraising in this race has been relatively modest.
The Democratic candidate, former Lakeville Mayor Matt Little, had raised $1.2 million as of Sept. 30 to fend off Republican state Sen. Eric Pratt, who has raised $569,000, about $105,000 of that coming out of his own pocket as a personal loan to his campaign.
The biggest fundraiser among Minnesota members of the House is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, who as the majority whip is a member of the GOP House leadership.
Emmer has raised about $5.5 million for his reelection while his challenger, Doug Chapin, has raised about $640,000.
But Emmer’s fundraising prowess exceeds what he raises for his own reelection. He has several leadership PACs, including the Electing Majority Making Effective Republicans (EMMER) PAC and the Emmer Victory Committee, which raises money jointly with the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC).
Emmer’s total fundraising in this cycle is an astounding $52 million. He’s contributed $22 million to Republican candidates and party committees.
Emmer’s generosity, aimed at securing support in the GOP caucus, will likely help him keep his position in the House GOP leadership, even if Republicans lose that chamber.
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