Paulsen finished year with more than $1 million in the bank

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen raised $317,000 in the final three months of 2011  and finished the year with more than $1 million in his campaign account.

The two-term GOP legislator has raised a total of $1.4 million so far in the 2012 election cycle, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Currently two DFL challengers — Brian Barnes and Sharon Sund — are seeking to oust Paulsen. Neither has released their 2011 fundraising figures, which are due at the end of January.

Paulsen represents a swing district, but won re-election in 2010 by 22 percentage points.