The DFL leads in party fundraising, but the conservative spending outlook is obscured by a big field of candidates for governor.

During the fall campaign season, the Republican Party of Minnesota sent out mailings in Senate District 4 accusing Kent Eken of voting to raise the “granny tax.”

When it comes to spending by Minnesota’s political parties, the state DFL has emerged as the No. 1 player in the 2012 battle for control of Legislature.

GOP-aligned independent groups have rushed to fill the campaign spending gap that Republicans face in their battle for continued control of the Minnesota Legislature.

With no groundswell predicted for either party in this year’s election, the legislative races in Eagan’s District 51 are once again likely to prove pivotal in GOP efforts to retain control of the Legislature.

The Senate District 49 contest will almost certainly be the most expensive legislative race in the state. In pre-primary campaign finance filings, DFL challenger Melisa Franzen and GOP state Rep. Keith Downey reported raising roughly $115,000 – easily the highest statewide total.

For better or worse, Michael Brodkorb was back on the campaign trail last week. This time, however, the former GOP attack dog, deputy Republican Party chair and Senate communications guru who helped mastermind the 2010 GOP takeover of the chamber has materialized in a glossy pink and blue mailer that’s being used to attack Republicans.

Karin Housley’s route into Minnesota politics has been anything but typical. In 2010, the real estate agent and wife of NHL hall of famer Phil Housley ran a close race against incumbent DFL Sen. Katie Sieben in Senate District 57, losing by only 606 votes.

The campaign finance reports released last week show that political action committees large and small have been funneling lots of money into legislative races.

The tightly contested Senate District 33 GOP primary contest between state Rep. Connie Doepke and David Osmek was an expensive affair. Osmek prevailed by just 107 votes in the race to replace retiring Sen. Gen Olson in a solidly GOP district.