A couple of Republicans in recent days have jumped into 2014 Minnesota congressional races. New entrants got into the 1st and 6th Congressional District contests.

Anoka County Commissioner Rhonda Sivarajah has joined the field of GOP contenders seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in the 6th Congressional District. Sivarajah announced her plan to seek the seat at an event in Ham Lake on Wednesday morning.

**UPDATED** Less than a week after U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's surprise announcement that she will not seek re-election, the field for the GOP nomination in the 6th Congressional District is beginning to emerge.

In mid-May, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann’s campaign bought roughly $80,000 worth of television advertising in the Twin Cities market. But just two weeks later, Bachmann stunned seemingly everyone by announcing on Wednesday that she would not be running for re-election.

It's been just six weeks since Graves, who lost to Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann by just 1 percent last year, had announced his intention to earn a rematch with Bachmann in 2014

**UPDATED** U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's surprise decision to not seek re-election has produced a frenzy of speculation about who might seek the GOP nomination in Minnesota's most conservative congressional district. At least a dozens names have been floated as possible successors to the four-term incumbent.

Bachmann's role at the forefront of the Tea Party movement made her a magnet for conservative Republican donors and Democratic activists, and both groups might be sad to see her go

In the affidavit, former Bachmann chief of staff Andy Parrish said the congresswoman was aware of the arrangement to pay Sorenson, who was running her Iowa presidential campaign, but she did not know the payments violated the state Senate ethics rules.

Graves, who last week announced his intent to win a rematch against Bachmann, again finds himself at a significant disadvantage. But the report also marks something of a downturn in fundraising prowess for Bachmann.

Graves’ campaign manager, Aaron Wells, confirmed his plans to the St. Cloud Times Thursday morning. Graves, a hotel executive from St. Cloud, nearly beat Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann last fall for the seat , which covers the northern Twin Cities suburbs and St. Cloud. Graves lost by less than 5,000 votes on Nov. 6, the closest any Democrat has come to toppling Bachmann.