Fundraising: Kline brings in $270K
WASHINGTON - Campaigns are slowly beginning to release their fundraising numbers ahead of a deadline Tuesday at midnight. The latest entry comes from 2nd District U.S. Rep. John Kline. The six-term Republican raised more than $270,000 in the first three months of 2014 and reports having $1.66 million cash on hand, according to a campaign spokesman. Kline has raised nearly $1.9 million since January 2013.
This was Kline's smallest fundraising haul since the first quarter of 2013 when he raised $257,000. Kline's cash on hand also barely budged from the previous quarter.
Kline faced an endorsement challenge from libertarian David Gerson, but 2nd District GOP delegates endorsed Kline on the first ballot at their convention earlier this month. Gerson said he would not challenge Kline in a primary.
On the left, Democrats pointed to President Obama's narrow margin of victory in Kline's district in 2012 and promised to target his race. Kline's 2012 DFL challenger, Mike Obermueller, is running again but has not gotten the backing of national Democrats or their outside groups. DFLers Thomas Craft and Paula Overby are also vying the DFL endorsement. Obermueller has raised the most of the three DFL candidates but had not released his most recent numbers as of Monday afternoon. As of Dec. 31, Obermueller had brought in more than $335,000 with $203,000 on hand.
The political oddsmakers at the Cook Political Report took the 2nd District off of their list of potentially competitive races last week.
Kline's spokesman also confirmed that Kline is currently in Afghanistan as part of a congressional delegation that includes House Speaker John Boehner.
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