GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann holds a fundraising lead over the two Democrats challenging her in a 6th Congressional District race on pace to be pricier than 2008.

Required campaign reports filed Thursday have Bachmann sitting on a $617,000 stockpile with a year to go, more than the incumbent had at this point in 2007.

But the two Democrats vying to take Bachmann on are also raising money at a more rapid clip than her past opponents. Dr. Maureen Reed has $311,000 in the bank and State Sen. Tarryl Clark has $270,000 at the ready.

All sides expect the figures to multiply. Bachmann and her chief rival spent more than $5.7 million in the last campaign and outside groups kicked in another $1 million independently.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)