One notable exception: Cravaack/Nolan CD 8 race

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.

The scene at the first public debate between candidates in Minnesota’s northeast 8th Congressional District this year was far tamer than the same event just two years ago.

Allen Quist and Rick Nolan have both been out of elective office for more than two decades. On Tuesday, however, both veteran politicos won their respective congressional primaries, surviving contentious intra-party battles and earning the right to challenge incumbents for a trip to Washington, D.C.

The Duluth News-Tribune and Mesabi Daily News have endorsed former Duluth City Council President Jeff Anderson in the tightly contested 8th Congressional District DFL primary race. The Star Tribune, however, opted to back former state Sen. Tarryl Clark with its endorsement.

Michele Bachmann, running for her fourth term representing Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional district, pulled in just more than $1 million in the month of July, easily surpassing her fellow Minnesota Congressmen and women in total fundraising hauls, as well as her Democratic opponent Jim Graves, who raised $64,000 in that period.

Anything could happen in the DFL primary in the 8th Congressional District. Three challengers — Jeff Anderson, Tarryl Clark and Rick Nolan — are running credible campaigns, and turnout is expected to be extremely low for the mid-August primary.

Minnesota House and Senate candidates took in more than $6 million during the second quarter of 2012, according to reports filed with the Federal Elections Commission. U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann raked in the biggest haul at $1.9 million. That's more than six times the amount raised by DFL challenger Jim Graves in the Sixth Congressional District.

Freshman GOP U.S. Rep. Chip Cravaack can now boast of being labor-endorsed. The International Union of Operating Engineers - Local 49 announced on Thursday that it's backing Cravaack in the 8th Congressional District contest.

DFL-endorsed candidate Mike Obermueller filed to run against GOP U.S. Rep. John Kline in the state's 2nd Congressional District on Monday afternoon, followed not long after by 8th Congressional District candidate and former state Sen. Tarryl Clark.