WASHINGTON — The National Republican Congressional Committee has added first-term Republican Rep. Chip Cravaack to its incumbent-supporting "Patriot Program."
The Patriot Program was established by the NRCC to provide campaigning and fundraising support to incumbents in tough re-election contests. Cravaack is one of 34 House Republicans, and the only Minnesotan, on the list.
Cravaack was added on Tuesday along with four other Republicans, including three from New York and one from Wisconsin. It's the fourth round of incumbents added to the program and the first since Minnesota finalized its redistricting process in February, leaving Cravaack in a district that leans Democratic and one where Republicans have long been expecting a bruising re-election contest.
Three Democrats — former state Sen. Tarryl Clark, former Duluth City Council president Jeff Anderson and former U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan — are expected to compete in an August primary for the chance to take on Cravaack. He holds a fundraising edge on all three, having raised $1 million for his re-election campaign, but Clark outraised him during the last fundraising quarter, $320,000 to $246,000.
Devin Henry can be reached at dhenry@minnpost.com.