Republicans turn to Bachmann to help meet fundraising target

The Republicans' House campaign committee enlisted Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) to help meet its quarterly fundraising targets.

Bachmann wrote supporters of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) to ask for donations ahead of the June 30th end-of-quarter deadline.

"In a few weeks, this money will start flowing into targeted districts to attack Republicans and spread phony propaganda against our candidates," Bachmann wrote in the fundraising e-mail. "The NRCC needs your help NOW to make sure Republican House candidates have the resources they need to fight back!

"The NRCC is THE official campaign support organization of Republicans running for Congress, exclusively dedicated to electing enough Republicans to end Nancy Pelosi’s reign as Speaker," she wrote. "No other organization is doing as much to help elect Republicans to Congress!"

Republicans have been looking to stock their campaign accounts before this fall's midterm elections, in which they hope to make inroads into Democrats' majority in the House, if not take control of the chamber for themselves.

Contributing to that effort on Wednesday was House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), who pledged $1 million from his own campaign funds to the NRCC.

A beneficiary of those funds might be Bachmann herself. A lightning rod for critics, Bachmann is facing a tough reelection challenge from Democrat Tarryl Clark. Bachmann beat Democrat El Tinklenberg in 2008, 47-43 percent.