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ST. PAUL (AP) ― In a sign of an expensive fight ahead for Minnesota's 6th Congressional District, the candidates' combined $1.2 million campaign stockpile is already much bigger than it was at this stage in the last election.

Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann holds $617,000 of that money, giving her an early cash-on-hand lead over two Democrats vying to deny her a third term. But the combined $581,000 in the accounts of state Sen. Tarryl Clark and Dr. Maureen Reed far exceed what Bachmann's Democratic opponents mustered a year out from the 2008 election.

It means voters can expect a barrage of television ads, mailers and phone calls aimed at influencing them in what figures to be the most vibrant of Minnesota's eight congressional campaigns. The 6th encompasses a swath of outlying Twin Cities suburbs and rapidly developing rural areas that stretch into St. Cloud.

In all, Bachmann, Clark and Reed raised almost $800,000 between July and September, according to reports they were required to file with campaign regulators by Thursday.

Two years ago, Bachmann and her Democratic opponents had about $730,000 in the bank, and three-quarters of it was Bachmann's.

Clark and Reed will have to tap into their accounts quicker than Bachmann as they compete for the Democratic nomination. Clark has said she'll drop out if she doesn't land the party endorsement at a district Democratic convention; Reed hasn't decided whether she'll head to a primary election if passed over for endorsement.

Bachmann's campaign manager Michelle Marston said the campaign has expanded its fundraising footprint across the country since the last campaign. That's been helped by her frequent appearances on cable news programs in which she's railed against stimulus spending, corporate bailouts, the activist group ACORN and the upcoming census.

But her opponents have latched on to controversial comments she's made during those appearances to fuel their own fundraising efforts.

Trevor Willett, a Reed spokesman, said he's surprised Bachmann doesn't hold a wider fundraising advantage at this stage.

"She's spending the majority of her time or a good chunk of her time building a national profile," he said.

Andrea Mokros, a Clark adviser, noted that her candidate nearly went dollar-for-dollar with Bachmann in the last fundraising quarter. Clark raised $308,000 to Bachmann's $345,000.

"This is definitely a competitive race," Mokros said. "We're right in there with Michele."

In 2008, Bachmann and her challenger combined to spend $5.7 million and outside groups kicked in another $1 million independently.

Bachmann won by 3 percentage points, although a third-party candidate received 10 percent of the vote.

Most of Minnesota's districts are considered safe for the incumbents. Besides the 6th District, two other districts could prove competitive.

Freshman Rep. Erik Paulsen, a Republican, faced a stiff campaign in 2008 for the 3rd Congressional District seat covering areas just west of Minneapolis. So far, no opponent has actively raised money to run against him, and Paulsen finished the quarter with $725,000 in the bank.

In southern Minnesota, second-term Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat, was targeted in the last election. Walz has $266,000 saved up, and no Republican is actively campaigning yet.

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