Though former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has been the frontrunner in the list of 2012 potential presidential contenders for the GOP, a recent poll provides a surprising twist, showing Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann (pictured) in a near tie with him in the key state of Iowa.
The Blaze reported:
The poll conducted for The Des Moines Register shows Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, with support from 23 percent in Iowa. Bachmann, the Minnesota representative who plans to launch her campaign in Iowa on Monday, has support from 22 percent.
Romney was the No. 2 finisher in the caucuses in his bid for the 2008 GOP nomination. Bachmann is a three-term congresswoman and newer face in the 2012 White House mix.
Bachmann today officially announced her presidential bid, at a historic mansion in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. During that short speech she declared herself to be a bold choice for the Republican nomination.
GOP pollster Mike McKenna remarked, Her trick is going to be to maintain that boldness and to somehow rein it in and discipline it so it works for her and not against her.
David Strom, a Republican heavily entrenched in Minnesota politics, contends that Bachmann has no need to tone down her sharpness:
Shes not a maneuverer. At the end of the day, she is going to distinguish herself by going out there and trying to draw people to her. I dont think she will try to become more nuanced as politicians tend to do. The Blaze contends that Bachmanns approach is highly different from other potential contenders like Mitt Romney and Herman Cain.
The recent poll in Iowa asked 400 likely Republican Iowa caucus-goers their preference. Romney was their first choice. According to The Blaze, not all GOP contenders view the Iowa caucus in the same way:
Romney has said he plans to run a scaled-down Iowa campaign, compared to the all-out, $10-million effort he waged for the 2008 caucuses.
Tim Pawlenty has been the most aggressive about campaigning in Iowa, having lined up top Iowa and national consultants, been a frequent visitor to the state and [run] the 2012 campaigns first Republican candidate television advertisements last week.
However, only 6 percent of Iowa Republicans expected to attend the 2012 caucuses prefer the former Minnesota governor as their choice, according to the poll.
Meanwhile, other GOP contenders ranked relatively low in the Iowa poll, with Texas Congressman Ron Paul and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich both receiving 7 percent of the vote, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum garnering 4 percent, and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman coming in last, with just 2 percent.
Bachmann has emerged as one of the key leaders of the Tea Party movement over the course of the past year. She has placed the repeal of ObamaCare at the forefront of her campaign, and has been an outspoken critic of Republicans who are seemingly fond of spending like Democrats.
Likewise, she is staunchly conservative on social issues, such as abortion, and has supported constitutional amendments to ban gay “marriage.”
She has made a name for herself as an outspoken critic of President Obama, focusing on spending and deficits and Obamas moves to implement more socialism.
Bachmann is the current leader of the Tea Party Caucus in Congress. In fact, some believe it is her connection to the Tea Party movement that may prove to be her saving grace. The Blaze explains:
Given the rise of the tea party movement, there may be even less reason for her to slide toward the political middle. Tea party members are seeking purity from the GOP candidates and have reacted skeptically to those largely linked to the party power brokers, particularly Romney.
GOP pollster McKenna admits, Truthfully, shes a hell of a lot closer to where the party is right now than where they [the other candidates] are.
