WASHINGTON — The liberal CREDO Super PAC has named Michele Bachmann its first target of the 2014 election cycle, further early evidence that the 6th District race between Bachmann and DFLer Jim Graves is already on pace to be a expensive affair.
The group announced its decision to target Bachmann on Thursday, the same day her House Tea Party Caucus kicks off its activities for the 113th Congress.
The San Francisco-based Credo Mobile cell phone company founded CREDO Super PAC ahead of the 2012 elections, when it targeted several conservative or Tea Party-aligned House members, including Minnesota Reps. Bachmann and Chip Cravaack. Credo spent about $2.8 million last cycle, including $455,000 in Minnesota, according to a spokeswoman.*
The group said it will not focus on television advertising, like other PACs, but instead, “CREDO Super PAC will open an office in Minnesota’s 6th congressional district, hire on the ground organizers, and begin mobilizing volunteers to get out the vote against Bachmann. CREDO Super PAC will use cutting-edge research to target a specific universe of voters in MN-06 to help make the difference on Election Day.” A spokeswoman said the group will look to spend about $500,000 in Minnesota this cycle.
CREDO is just the latest national group to target the 6th District. The liberal House Majority PAC has said it plans on opposing Bachmann in 2014, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has indicated the same. This week, the DCCC released a web video focused on recent ethics investigations into Bachmann’s presidential campaign.
Bachmann and Graves both have robust fundraising operations, as well — Bachmann has $1.8 million in the bank and Graves’s campaign said last week that it had raised more than $100,000 since he announced his candidacy on April 11.
Meanwhile, Roll Call reported Wednesday that Bachmann’s House Tea Party Caucus will relaunch on Thursday night, meeting with Tea Party groups on Capitol Hill. The group has not held a meeting since July.
*A previous version of this story had incorrect CREDO spending figures for the 2012 campaign. The post has been updated.
Devin Henry can be reached at dhenry@minnpost.com.