Facing Tough Challenge, Peterson Has $523K Banked

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson has raised more money in the past three months than he did in at this stage in his previous campaign. But he has less in the bank compared with the same time in 2012.

Peterson's fundraising report shows he collected about $218,000 from January through March. That left him with roughly $523,000 in reserve as he seeks a 13th term representing a western Minnesota district.

His Republican challenger, state Sen. Torrey Westrom, had yet to provide fundraising figures for the same time period. Those reports are due Tuesday.

Peterson's haul almost doubled what he brought in during the opening months of 2012. But as of April that year, he had three-quarters of a million dollars banked for a race he easily won.