ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A candidate in Minnesota’s closely watched 8th congressional district race says she’ll take her campaign for the Democratic nomination directly to a summer primary.

Former state Sen. Tarryl Clark told supporters in a letter Thursday that she wouldn’t abide by a spring endorsing convention’s decision. That means Democrats won’t know until August who will challenge freshman Rep. Chip Cravaack in the northeastern Minnesota district.

Clark says “the stakes are too high” to let a small group of activists pick the nominee.

Clark, who moved to the area to run for the seat, faces former Rep. Rick Nolan and Duluth city council member Jeff Anderson on the Democratic side.

The fall race is sure to be competitive. Cravaack is the first Republican to represent the district in more than 60 years.

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