In 8th district, Nolan takes straw poll, Clark dominates fundraising

With five months until the state caucuses, four DFLers in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District are jockeying for the lead in terms of endorsements, fundraising numbers and name recognition.

The DFL held a fundraiser on Saturday evening that included a straw poll. In it, former Rep. Rick Nolan garnered 21 of the 38 votes cast, besting former staffer for Sen. Al Franken, Daniel Fanning who got 8 votes, and Duluth city council member Jeff Anderson and former state Sen. Tarryl Clark who got one vote each.

Clark announced on Friday that she had raised more money than any of the other DFL candidates — and even more than Cravaack — in the 3rd quarter of 2011. She took in $228,000 compared to Cravaack’s campaign which raised $206,000. Nolan raised $66,000, Anderson raised $20,000 and Fanning, we entered the race last weekend, has yet to post fundraising numbers.

“We are confident that this overwhelming level of support will keep growing as Tarryl continues to hold Chip Cravaack accountable for his votes against the priorities of his constituents,” said Brandon Pinette, Clark’s campaign manager. “Minnesotans are dedicated to electing a leader like Tarryl Clark who will fight for their priorities in Washington.”

While Clark and Nolan got boosts from a straw poll and fundraising numbers respectively, Anderson released important endorsements by Iron Range and North Shore mayors on Friday.

Backing Anderson are Ely Mayor Roger Skraba, Two Harbors Mayor Randy Bolen and Cloquet Mayor Bruce Ahlgren.

Anderson said in a statement that “it’s an honor to have these Northland leaders endorse our campaign. I’ve been working with these mayors for years on regional economic development programs and I plan on continuing our work together to develop jobs in our region.”

Fanning got his own boost on Sunday when he appeared on WCCO’s Sunday morning political talk show with Esme Murphy.

“We have to fundamentally change the way we do politics,” he told Murphy. Fanning said he appreciates the Occupy Minnesota movement.

“This is what we’re seeing with the Occupy Minnesota, given the fact that people are obeying the law and being nonviolent. This is a movement that I very much support and am very proud of the people who are taking to the streets and saying you now what we are tired of politics as usual and that’s exactly why I’m running for Congress.”

Of course, all of this campaigning is occurring before the courts have approved a redistricting plan. And a Republican from Hibbing is considering jumping into the race if the courts adopt the plan passed by the Republicans in the Legislature this spring. That plan would put Cravaack in the 7th Congressional District and stretch the 8th across the Canadian border including DFL Rep. Collin Peterson’s territory. Hibbing school teacher Robert Farnsworth wants to be the Republican running against Peterson under that scenario.