Bachmann pledges cash to U.S. Senate candidates

Posted at 3:02 PM on June 9, 2012 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2012: U.S. Senate, Michele Bachmann

This election cycle, Rep. Michele Bachmann will use a special political fund to help Republicans take control of the U.S. Senate.

All Republicans need are a net four seats to secure a majority in the Senate, Bachmann wrote in a fundraising e-mail for MICHELE PAC, a so-called leadership PAC that lawmakers set up to help fellow lawmakers or those running for office.

"With all the attention currently leveled at the Presidential race, some don't realize it's that close: to take back the Senate in 2012, all we need are four seats in four states," Bachmann wrote.

"And, we're closer than ever to taking them back. Of the eight seats currently listed as tossups by Real Clear Politics, six are currently held by Democrats. Or, put another way, six Democratic seats are now vulnerable enough that we're in striking distance of taking them."

Bachmann asked supporters to chip in $40 or more to help Republicans.

The e-mail doesn't specify which candidates Bachmann plans to help, but this year's MICHELE PAC campaign finance reports provide some clues.

For instance, Bachmann's leadership fund has already contributed $2,000 to Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg's U.S. Senate campaign. Rehberg is challenging incumbent Sen. Jon Tester, a race that Real Clear Politics calls a toss-up.

So far this year, MICHELE PAC has raised roughly $11,800 and spent more than $52,500. At the end of April, the fund had about $147,700 in cash on hand, according to the latest federal fundraising reports.

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