In Food, ag industry go to bat for Peterson, Blunt, Politico's Catherine Boudreau reports:
FOOD, AG GROUPS GO TO BAT FOR PETERSON, BLUNT: Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) both have strong backing from the food and agriculture industry as they ride into tough reelection races, campaign finance disclosures show.
Peterson is vying to secure a 14th term in Minnesota’s perpetually difficult 7th District race and has received about $277,000 in combined donations from ranging from butter to crop insurance, the Pro Agriculture team found when examining Federal Election Commission filings for our very first Agriculture Influence special report. The amount accounts for more than half of the House Agriculture Committee ranking member’s total $523,000 in political action committee donations during the 2016 election cycle. Peterson’s remaining $469,000 blows away the war chests of his Republican and independent competitors. . . .
It is a fact universally acknowledged that every two years, the National Republican Congressional Committee and media will suggest that Seventh Congressional District Blue Dog Democrat Collin Peterson faces tough odds for re-election in the Republican-leaning district. Yet since the 1990s, Peterson has won handily.
On May 1, the Seventh District Republicans endorsed drone operator trainer on a mission from God, David Hughes, who jumped into the race in early March, bashing former president Woodrow Wilson and other Washington insiders, the Fargo Forum reported:
"Americans of all political persuasions, generations, ethnicities and backgrounds are outraged over the colossal mess our officials of both parties in Washington, D.C., have made of our great nation," a statement on his website reads. "From Woodrow Wilson to FDR to LBJ to today, all three branches of government have abandoned the principles of liberty, limited government and unalienable rights. Most importantly, they have completely disregarded the clear meaning and guiding spirit of our Constitution."
Collin Peterson has been in office for 14 terms, but Bluestem has found little evidence that he's on speaking terms with Wilson.
As for the Hughes war chest, Open Secrets lists a big goose egg for Hughes' fundraising; IP candidate Kevin Winge has raised under $14,000. FEC records indicate that the Karlstad resident filed paperwork for his campaign on February 25, 2016, but has not filed a first quarter fundraising report, generally an indication of lackluster rainmaking.
The Cook Political Report ranks the Seventh as "Likely D." The Rothenberg and Gonzales Report considers the seat safe for the incumbent, while Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball puts the seat in the Likely Democratic column.
As for the news that the Ranking Democrat on the House Ag Committee received money from food and agriculture interests, that should come as a shock to the residents of the sprawling farm country district.
Photo: Hughes trains pilots to operate the unmanned Reaper drone. Image in public domain, via Wikipedia.
Friday, Representative Peterson's constituent newsletter included the picture of his aircraft (left), over the cutline:
The House of Representatives was in a district work period this week, allowing me the opportunity to head home to Minnesota. Above, you can see the plane I pilot in order to get around the district. In Minnesota I met with CHS, the Minnesota based global agribusiness to discuss the upcoming Farm Bill and other issues important to the farming community.. . .
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