U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, easily outdistanced Republican rival Christopher Peters in fourth-quarter fundraising last year, according to new financial reports.
Loebsack, who represents the 2nd Congressional District, raised $215,653 in the last three months of 2017, putting him over $1 million for the year. He ended 2017 with about $1.6 million in the bank.
That far exceeds the amount of money that Peters raised. He reported raising $17,129 for the fourth quarter and $52,587 for the year. Peters had just over $13,000 in the bank at the end of the year.
The reports were filed this week with the Federal Election Commission.
If Peters were to win the Republican nomination and face Loebsack this fall, it would be their second matchup.
In 2016, Loebsack defeated Peters, 53 percent to 46 percent.
Local Republican officials have said there is another person who has expressed interest in running in the Republican primary, but no official announcement has been made yet.
The deadline to file nomination papers for the June 5 primary is March 16.
The 2nd District covers southeast and south-central Iowa, including the cities of Iowa City, Davenport, Burlington, Clinton, Muscatine, Ottumwa, Pella and Newton.
Loebsack was first elected in 2006 and has been re-elected five times. He is one of four U.S. representatives from Iowa.