Walz reports $750K held, $1 million raised

posted by Edward Felker, P-B Washington Bureau

Rep. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, broke the $1 million mark in money raised for this re-election campaign, according to a statement he released this morning, and had approximately $750,000 in cash on hand as of Dec. 31.

Walz is seeking a second term in the 1st Congressional District. Three Republicans are in the running for the party endorsement. Full details of their fundraising are due to the Federal Election Commission by Jan. 31, when 2007 year-end reports must be filed.

Walz noted in his statement that he is close to the $1.2 million he raised for his entire 2006 campaign, which saw donations to him surge late in the race against former Rep. Gil Gutknecht, R-Rochester. Interestingly, Walz reported raising about $249,000 for the fourth quarter, but his cash on hand rose just $39,000 from his Sept. 30 level of $711,323.

So far we've heard from Walz, state Sen. Dick Day, R-Owatonna, who says he will report  $95,660 in cash, and Mayo physician Brian Davis of Rochester, who is to report more than $80,000 in cash. Still to announce is state Rep. Randy Demmer, R-Hayfield.

The Walz results are about what one would expect from a first-term incumbent in a swing district. Whether the national Republicans will consider any of the three challengers as viable candidates is yet to be seen; they clearly have time to get the party behind them after the endorsement, but right now it appears none can claim the mantle of the front-runner.