Tarryl Clark, a high-ranking Democrat in the Minnesota Senate, officially announced Wednesday that she will seek to challenge two-term Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann in what could be one of the most hotly contested House races in 2010.

Tarryl Clark

Clark, who also filed paperwork to confirm her plans, took the wraps off a 6th District campaign that she had been inching toward for weeks. And, in an e-mail to supporters, Clark took a few swipes at Bachmann, who has been highly quotable — and often acerbic — as an outspoken and highly partisan House conservative.

Wrote Clark: “For the past few years, the 6th District’s representation in Congress has been about missed opportunities.”  

“It’s time to deliver more than a sound bite,” she continued. “Representative Bachmann’s biggest accomplishments are creating controversy instead of creating good jobs, and working the talk-show circuit instead of helping working families.”