Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson has represented Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District since 1991, but his 2020 reelection bid could be the toughest race of his career.
Peterson, who is the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, will face off against former Lt. Gov. Michelle Fischbach, a Republican, in a deep-red district that President Trump won by a margin of 30 percentage points over Hillary Clinton in 2016. The race has been deemed a “toss-up” by the Cook Political Report.
For nearly 30 years, Peterson has represented the 7th District in Washington. The district, which spans most of western Minnesota, is predominantly rural, and agriculture is a top industry. Throughout Peterson’s tenure, the district has leaned right, and the Republican presidential nominee has won the district in each cycle for decades. Still, Peterson managed to win his own seat by 20-point margins throughout most of his career.
Peterson is one of the last remaining centrist-leaning Blue Dog Democrats in Congress. He has routinely broken with the Democratic Party to vote against policies such as Obamacare and statehood for Washington, D.C. In 2019, he was one of two Democrats to vote against President Trump’s impeachment.
Peterson’s independent streak has allowed him to keep his seat in Minnesota, but his margins of victory have been slipping. He beat Republican Dave Hughes by 4.2 points in 2018. While Hughes struggled to earn national fundraising support, Fischbach brings name recognition and fundraising firepower to the 2020 race.
Fishbach’s political career began with her 1996 election to the Minnesota state Senate. She quickly rose to leadership within the party and became the first female to serve as president of the Senate in Minnesota’s history.
In January 2018, a bit of constitutional mayhem launched Fischbach into the position of lieutenant governor. Sen. Al Franken, a Democrat, had stepped down from his seat in 2017 amid allegations of sexual misconduct, prompting Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton to appoint his lieutenant governor, Tina Smith, to replace Franken.
Minnesota’s constitution required that vacancies in the position of lieutenant governor be filled by the president of the state Senate, which resulted in Dayton, a Democrat, finishing the remainder of his gubernatorial term with Fischbach, a Republican, as his lieutenant governor. In 2018, Fischbach ran as former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s gubernatorial running mate during his failed bid to take back the governor’s mansion.
Fischbach announced her congressional campaign in 2020 and earned an endorsement from Trump shortly after. Fischbach’s campaign has closely aligned itself with Trump, and her campaign yard signs feature the message: “Trump stands with Michelle Fischbach.”
Had a wonderful time visiting with people in Breckenridge. Thank you to @SenWestrom and Rep. @JeffBacker for joining me. Everyone is excited to retire Peterson and #firePelosi! #mn07 pic.twitter.com/94aQyFcqH8
— Michelle Fischbach (@FischbachMN7) August 24, 2020
Peterson’s seat is one of the most vulnerable House seats held by Democrats who are working to keep their majority. A lot of attention, and money, will be paid to the race. With two additional tight House races in the 1st and 2nd congressional districts, one Senate seat up for grabs, and a narrowing race between Trump and Joe Biden, Minnesota will play a pivotal role in 2020.
