Collin Peterson Loses Bid for a 16th Term to Michelle Fischbach

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, veteran Democratic congressman Collin Peterson of Minnesota, has lost his bid for a 16th term.

Peterson's successful Republican opponent, Michelle Fischbach, is a conservative former state senator who briefly served as lieutenant governor. She ousted Peterson in their rural western Minnesota district.

Fischbach contended that Peterson was too close to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other liberals.

Peterson rarely faced serious challenges in his career. His sprawling district stretches from the Canadian border almost all the way south to Iowa, and it has become more Republican over the years.

Peterson was first elected in 1990. He chaired the Agriculture panel from 2007 to 2011 and regained the post after Democrats recaptured the House in 2018. He was instrumental in shaping several farm bills and was a champion of the region's beet sugar industry.