MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A new Star Tribune poll says that Rep. Michele Bachmann holds a six-point lead in her race against hotel executive Jim Graves. Of those surveyed, 51 percent favor Bachmann while 45 percent say they will vote for Graves.

The poll does show a major weakness for Bachmann. While 46 percent view her favorably, 45 percent of those surveyed have an unfavorable view of her.

But exploiting that weakness is a challenge for her opponent.

In the last three months, Bachmann raised more money than any Congressional candidate in the country — $4.5 million — and she is pouring it into campaign ads attacking Graves.

But during that same time period Graves was able to raise $1 million — a fundraising total that lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to move the race onto a list of races where Democratic challengers are posing a serious threat.

Graves, a successful hotel developer, insists that he can close the gap. Graves appeared on WCCO Sunday Morning.

“We think we are right there actually,” Graves said. “We have polling that is a little more empirical than theirs. We do cell phones, we do a complete demographic search. Our poll says we are right there we are within 2 percent, with a 7 percent undecided. We’re very confident that at the end of the day, it’s going to be Nov. 6 and that is going to make the decision so we are feeling good.”

But Graves biggest obstacle may be that the 6th District is the most conservative in the state with a makeup of 7 percent more republicans than democrats.

But Bachmann is clearly not taking that or Graves for granted and she has been calling this her toughest race ever.

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann was a guest on WCCO Sunday Morning last week. You can watch WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy and Matt Brickman every Sunday at 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.