DFL elected officials -- including now Sen. Al Franken -- continue to flock to the campaign of state Sen. Tarryl Clark, who hopes to take on U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann in the fall, but who still faces Dr. Maureen Reed for the DFL endorsement and, potentially, in a DFL primary.

An invitation to a Minneapolis house-party fund-raiser for Clark next month lists the following members of the "honorary host committee" for the event:

U.S. Sen. Al Franken, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Minnesota Sen. Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher,  state Sen. Scott Dibble of Mpls, state Rep. Frank Hornstein of Mpls.

It's easy to dismiss the importance/surprisingness of some of the names (Clark is assistant Senate DFL leader and Pogemiller is leader, for example) but sitting U.S. senators don't always get involved at this stage of intraparty contests and folks like MAK and Rybak who are running for governor don't need to risk annoying anyone by taking sides.

It goes without saying how much DFLers, and even the national Dem donor base, would love to make a serious run at Bachmann's seat next year.

Reed has been coy about whether she will abide by the endorsement, although recently she has been more clearly leaving herself the option of running in a primary. The fact is that the party big cigars are getting behind Clark, as the labor unions already have. It's hard to see any opening for Reed in the endorsement contest.

p.s. Three of Minnesota's five incumbent congressmen, Keith Ellison, Jim Oberstar and Collin Peterson, have contributed to the Clark campaign via their own campaign funds.