Politico: Vilsack is ‘one of the most formidable Democratic fundraisers’

Former Iowa First Lady and 4th Congressional District candidate Christie Vilsack is among a handful of House and Senate candidates who “are distinguishing themselves as breakout fundraising stars in the still-developing 2012 campaign season,” Politico reports.

Reporter Alex Isenstadt writes:

Vilsack has quickly established herself as one of the most formidable Democratic fundraisers, raking in more than $750,000 in her first six months of campaigning. Vilsack, the wife of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and a former Iowa first lady who was an influential player in the state’s political circles, is tapping a nationwide fundraising base — holding fundraisers in New York City and Northern California. GOP Rep. Steve King, Vilsack’s opponent, had raised a little more than $200,000 through June — and another subpar haul should set off alarms in Republican circles.

Last week Politico identified Vilsack and King’s fundraising in Iowa’s 4th Congressional District race as among “10 FEC reports to watch.”