Abortion will be a key factor in the 6th Congressional District race, where incumbent Republican Michele Bachmann has been a pro-life champion and one of her declared opponents is pro-choice, says the Minnesota Independent.

MnIndy reports that Bachmann is ranked third in the U.S. House in receiving donations from pro-life interests, and that Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life jumped all over state Sen. Tarryl Clark on the issue the day after she announced her candidacy.

The publication notes an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics and says, "Bachmann received $63,658 since she announced her run for Congress in 2005 — "3.5 times the amount given by abortion opponents to all other Minnesota House members combined." (The analysis also highlights Democrats who've received money from what they call "abortion rights opponents." A spreadsheet with the donation amounts can be downloaded from the site.)

As for Clark, MnIndy quotes a statement from MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach:

"Senator Clark has voted to use taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions — even cruel saline abortions! From now until the election in 2010, MCCL will work tirelessly to make sure the voters know that it is Congresswoman Michele Bachmann who is willing to stand up and fight for the innocent unborn and their mothers, while Tarryl Clark supports even the most gruesome taxpayer funded abortions.”

DFLer El Tinklenberg, who plans to run again after losing to Bachmann in 2008, describes himself as pro-life. Dr. Maureen Reed, who plans to seek the DFL and Independence Party endorsement in the race, "hasn’t taken a strong stance on the issue, either in the current campaign or as candidate for lieutenant governor in 2006, MnIndy said.