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Jim Graves filed paperwork today to run for Congress in Minnesota's 6th District.

The DFL-endorsed candidate is challenging incumbent Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann. Graves had been living outside the district when he launched his campaign, but he told reporters today that he recently bought a house in St. Cloud and is now living there full time.

"I did that for practical purposes," Graves said. "I want to be with the people. I want to be among the people. I'm from St. Cloud. I wanted to get back in St. Cloud."

Graves said his campaign will focus on jobs and economic issues. He said his background in business gives him a skill set that previous DFL candidates for the seat did not have. Graves said he is also courting independent voters, as well as the Independence Party of Minnesota.

"Tom Horner, Peter Hutchinson, these people are very supportive of our campaign, are involved in actually the inner circle on a lot of policy that we're working out," he said. "We don't think we're going to have any significant Independence Party people running against us."

Rep. Bachmann is seeking re-election to a fourth term. She has not yet filed her campaign paperwork. Bachmann sent out a fundraising appeal today that linked her re-election bid with her youngest child's pending graduation from high school.

"As President Obama spends our country into oblivion, Sophia is in danger of inheriting an economy and job prospects worse than when I was her age, a phenomenon that is unprecedented in American history," Bachmann wrote. "For Sophia and young people around America, we must stop President Obama and the Democrats from doing any more damage to our fragile economy and endangering our futures."

Graves files for Congress

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