Altmire posts strong fundraising quarter ahead of redistricting troubles

Rep. Jason Altmire raised $375,000 in the last three months, a strong haul for a House member in what could be a tough reelection battle after Republicans finish redrawing his congressional district.

The centrist Blue Dog Democrat has approximately $700,000 in his coffers, according to a release from the campaign. This is similar to the amount he had at this point in 2009.

Altmire is known as a strong fundraiser: He spent $2.5 million to narrowly win his 2010 reelection campaign.

His current district, in suburban and exurban Pittsburgh, gave 55 percent of its vote to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008, a number that is likely to increase after Republican legislators in the state pass redistricting maps targeting Altmire.

They are expected to gut neighboring Rep. Mark Critz's (D-Pa.) district and may put Critz and Altmire in a single Republican-leaning district. Altmire's money would come in handy in a tough race — and could be a means of persuading GOP state legislators to set their sites more on Critz than on him when they draw the lines.

But there is enough populist territory around suburban Pittsburgh that even after redistricting a centrist Democrat like Altmire could hold on should he have the money to introduce himself to new voters in the district. This total suggests that if he loses next fall, financial woes won't be the cause.