Iowa Senate hopefuls low on cash

Three Iowa congressmen eyeing a run for the state's open Senate seat are low on cash after tough 2012 House races.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) has just $119,000 left in the bank as of the year's end, according to recently filed financial reports. Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) is down to $118,000, while Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) has just $51,000 left in his campaign coffers.

Braley has been the most open about his interest, and sat down with Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to discuss a possible bid. King and Latham are both also considering bids, though Iowa Repubilcans say it's unlikely that they would run against one another in a primary.

All three spent heavily to make sure they held onto their seats in 2012 after redistricting put them all in new territory, and their low bank accounts don't mean they won't be able to quickly raise the money needed to run for the seat that will be vacated when longtime Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) retires. 

Latham raised and spent $3.8 million in the last cycle, King spent $3.7 million and Braley brought in $2.7 million. But their low totals show the congressmen will have to hit the fundraising circuit hard if they want to move to the upper chamber.

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