Profile of 7th District Congressional Race
Tim Kelly, 8/9/96

Voters in Minnesota's seventh district will decide this fall how conservative a Congressman they want. Incumbent Democrat Collin Peterson has grown increasingly conservative during six years in office, an evolution that angers many members of his own party. Challenger Darrell McKigney is a conservative Republican, who says Peterson isn't as moderate as he claims. The district has traditionally been a close election and will likely be tight again this year. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Kelly reports...

In 1958, Congresswoman Coya Knutson lost re-election when her husband issued a statement urging her to come home and make his breakfast again; she was the only incumbent Democrat to lose that year. Re-election campaigns haven't got any easier in one of America's traditional swing districts. The seventh district covers 25 counties from Saint Cloud, west to the North Dakota border and north to Canada. Jim Read, a political science professor at Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict says Republicans and Democrats just happen to be nearly even in the seventh district. Read, who is also a local D-F-L party leader, says there are few districts in the nation to stay so close for so long...

(cut #1 :26 q:"...either way.") THE DISTRICT WAS REPRESENTED BY A REPUBLICAN IN THE SIXTIES, IT WAS REPRESENTED BY A DEMOCRAT, BOB BERGLUND, IN THE 1970s WHO THEN BECAME CARTER'S AGRICULTURE SECRETARY, IT WAS REPRESENTED BY A REPUBLICAN IN THE EIGHTIES, STANGELAND, AND BY A DEMOCRAT IN THE 90s, COLLIN PETERSON. AND IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY THAT IS PERMANENTLY A SWING DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS IT COULD GO EITHER WAY.

Read credits Peterson's persistence seeking the congressional seat, which he won from incumbent Arlan Stangeland on his fifth attempt. Peterson, who's never gained more than 54-percent of the vote, says he's focusing on his record as he campaigns for re-election. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, he pushed bills for rural economic development and wetland preservation. Peterson is also a founding member of the "Blue Dogs," a coalition of moderate Democrats. He fiercely opposed the North America Free Trade Agreement and opposes gun control measures, voting against the 1994 crime bill. Peterson says the Blue Dogs have had an impact...

(cut #2 :30 q:"...to do.") WE ARE ACHIEVING OUR GOAL, WHICH WAS TO TRY TO BRING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BACK MORE TO THE CENTER, AND TO TRY TO BRING THE ENTIRE CONGRESS TO MORE OF A SOLUTION ORIENTED, LESS PARTISAN WAY OF OPERATING. WE HAVEN'T ACCOMPLISHED THAT YET BECAUSE YOU CAN STILL SEE THE PARTISAN BOMB THROWING GOING ON, BUT IT THINK WE'RE MAKING PROGRESS. I THINK WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING GOOD, POSITIVE WORK IN THE CONGRESS, WHEN YOU'RE DOING GOOD POLICY WORK, IT'S GOING TO TRANSLATE INTO GOOD POLITCS BACK HOME, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE AFTERALL SENT US TO WAHSINGTON TO DO.

Peterson's image as a conservative doesn't wash with Republican challenger Darrell McKigney. McKigney is on leave from his job as Legislative Director with the Minnesota Family Council. McKigney says he was warned by the last Republican challenger, Bernie Omann, not to let Peterson fool the voters...

(cut #3 :25 q:"...budget.") COLLIN HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A BILL CLINTON, IN THAT WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTION TIME HE PRETENDS TO BE A LITTLE MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN HIS RECORD IS. AND BERNIE FELT THAT COLLIN HAD GOTTEN AWAY WITH THAT ON HIM A LITTLE BIT AND WE SHOULDN'T LET HIM DO THAT. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING WHERE HE RELALY STANDS ON THE TAX ISSUE, THE FACT THAT THE BLUE DOG BUDGET IS BASICALLY A HIGH TAX, CUT SOCIAL SECURITY BUDGET.

McKigney has been partciulary critical of Peterson's campaign fundraising, which he says relys too heavily on Political Action Committee contributions. Federal election records show McKigney way behind Peterson in fundraising. McKigney has raised only raised 60-thousand dollars. Peterson's war chest is approaching 400-thousand dollars...most of it from PACs ranging from big oil and tobacco companies to health care organizations. McKigney was counting on a fundraising boost in June when House Speaker Newt Gingrich was scheduled to make an appearance in Moorhead. Gingrich cancelled. No new date has been set. Collin Peterson says it shows the National Republican Party has lost interest in the race. McKigney says the contest is still a priority, and he thinks Gingrich will show up...

(cut #4 :19 q:"...the state.") NEWT'S PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED US AND SAID WE SHOULD START TO EXPECT HIM SOMETIME IN LATE AUGUST OR EARLY SEPTEMBER AND TO START GETTING READY FOR THAT, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED. WE'RE STILL THE FIRST CHALLENGER HE'S PLANNING TO COME INTO THE STATE FOR AND THAT SENDS A SIGNAL THAT THEY THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST WINABLE RACE IN THE STATE.

A new twist to the seventh district race this year comes from the Reform Party, which endorsed Peterson for re-election rather than offering its own candidate. Saint Cloud State University Political Scieence Professor Steve Frank says the endorsement from the fledling party of moderates shows where Peterson resides on the political spectrum. Frank says the endorsewment will be a boost for Peterson...

(cut #5 :31 q:"...points.") HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A CENTRIST BUT HE'S MOVED EVEN MORE TO THE CENTER. AND THIS HAS ANGERED SOME GROUPS, PARTICULARLY ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS AND PRO-ABORTION GROUPS, BUT HE'S REALLY POSITIONED HIMSELF IN THE CENTER. HERE IN MINNESOTA, WHERE ROSS PEROT GOT ALMOST 24-PERCENT OF THE VOTE, NOW I DOUBT IF HE'LL GET THAT MUCH THIS TIME, BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR. I WOULD SUSPECT WE'LL SEE IN HIS ADS BOTH ENDORSED BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THE REFORM PARTY, AND THAT'S REALLY GOT TO HELP HIM. IT COULD MEAN A FEW PERCENTAGE POINTS.

Recent history suggests Darrel McKigney has already guarenteed a close race by just getting his name on the ballot. Steve Frank says Peterson's healthy campaign war chest and broad appeal should result in a re-election margin wider than normal for the seventh district. In Collegeville, I'm Tim Kelly, Minnesota Public Radio News.