Graves-Bachmann Race Becomes a Top Priority for DCCC

A tight race in Minnesota's Sixth District is drawing national attention, as the Democractic Congressional Campaign Committee has put the race atop its "Red to Blue" list. 

Related story: Bachmann campaign agrees to three debates with challenger Jim Graves. 

According to the DCCC, Graves has "earned a spot on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s (DCCC) highly competitive Red-to-Blue program."  

A poll from Jim Graves’ campaign shows he trails Congresswoman Bachmann by just 2 points (48-46 percent) and Bachmann’s favorability is underwater with 57 percent of registeredvoters viewing her unfavorably. Independent voters have swung against Bachmann by nearly 20 points from a 4-percent advantage to a 15-point disadvantage, according to the Graves Poll. 

Independent polls show Bachmann leading by as many as four to six points, and the Cook and Rothenberg Political Reports put the Sixth in the Republican win column. 

“Jim has proven his commitment to standing up for the middle class and creating good-paying jobs for Minnesotans,” said DCCC Chairman Steve Israel. “Jim is a successful businessman, builder and problem-solver who will focus on creating jobs, growing the economy and protecting Medicare not on partisanship, political games or pandering to the Tea Party. During Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s career in Washington, she has been more focused on being a national right-wing celebrity than on delivering for the Minnesota families she represents. Voters are experiencing buyer’s remorse with Congresswoman Bachmann and her relentless desire to put ideology over solutions.” 

Democratic Reps. Jared Polis (CO) and Donna Edwards (MD) co-chair the Red to Blue program, and Rep. Allyson Schwartz serves as the National Chair for Recruitment and Candidate Services.

In a response to Graves' DCCC challenge in September, when the race was placed on a the "emerging races" list, Bachmann reached out to constituents, saying she was "being targeted" by outside interest groups. "One thing is for certain- this race is going to be costly and quite a challenge," the Bachmann campaign stated in September. "The Democrats along with the liberal media would love to see my campaign be defeated in November. They are clearly pulling out all the stops to see our conservative values be conquered this fall."