House Agriculture Committee chair, seeking re-election in most pro-Trump Democratic district, draws strong GOP foe

Minnesota's Seventh District
(National Atlas map via Wikipedia)

House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson of Minnesota, whose represents the Democratic-held district with the largest 2016 majority for President Trump, has drawn a strong Republican opponent in former state Senate President and Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach.

"Trump won it by 30." Minneapolis StarTribune columnist Patrick Coolican notes. "She'll have a huge supply of money from national Republican groups, including presumably the anti-abortion network her husband is part of as executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life."

Fargo's KFGO notes, "David Hughes has also announced to seek to the Republican nomination to challenge Peterson. Hughes has challenged Peterson twice before."

Rep. Collin Peterson

If Peterson seeks re-election, he will have "the advantage of name recognition, and his perch as chair of the Agriculture Committee during a time of deep uncertainty about the farm economy given the trade conflict with China. He'll frame the race as a risk of giving up the gavel to the district's most important committee."

The Star Trib's Jeremy Olson reports, "Peterson has maintained popularity and strong support from farmers and rural voters in his district. Peterson is considered a Blue Dog Democrat with conservative positions on abortion and same-sex marriage. He voted against the Affordable Care Act that was championed in 2010 by his own party and President Barack Obama, but also against Trump’s legislation in 2017 that would have repealed it."