The ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, Collin Peterson, rates as a modest favorite for re-election in 2016, says the political newsletter Sabato’s Crystal Ball in an analysis issued 23 months before the election. The Crystal Ball lists Peterson and four other Agriculture Committee members – Democrats Rick Nolan of Minnesota and Sean Maloney of New York state and Republicans Jeff Denham of California and Dan Benishek of Michigan – in districts that lean their way for another term. Overall, says the newsletter, Republicans start with 211 safe seats, seven short of a majority in the House. “Our expectation is that the Democrats will net at least a few House seats in the 2016 election,” says the Crystal Ball, but Republicans have a very good chance to stay the majority party.