Bachman,'First step' toward White House

Today, Iowa is important. At the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Republican presidential hopefuls are jockeying for a momentum boost in the Ames Straw Poll, which is an early test of organizational mettle going into the Iowa caucuses in the winter. It's an opportunity for candidates to get heckled, eat fried food, and laugh at Ron Paul. This year, the top three candidates are likely to be Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, and Tim Pawlenty, but yesterday, only one candidate displayed the guts to swallow the competition.


She's celebrating her victory today in the Iowa straw poll. During a day of speeches by the Republicans on the ballot, Bachmann had vowed to "make Barack Obama a one-term president."


The Minnesota congresswoman, a favorite of the tea party, got more than 28 percent of the 17,000 votes cast in the nonbinding exercise. She has a following among the evangelicals who make up the GOP base in Iowa and elsewhere.


Today's vote provides clues about each candidate's level of support and campaign organization, five months before the Iowa caucuses.


Ron Paul, the Texas congressman who has support among libertarians, finished a close second. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who was hoping for a strong showing to boost his struggling campaign, was a distant third.


Finishing fourth was former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, followed by businessman Herman Cain.


Rick Perry wasn't on the ballot -- but on the day that the Texas governor officially entered the race, his name was written in by his Iowa supporters, and he finished sixth -- just ahead of Mitt Romney.


Barely registering support were Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich.


188-a-11-(Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., Republican presidential candidate, in remarks)-"the country back"-Republican Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann says the next president can improve the nation's future. (13 Aug 2011)


00:11 "the country back"


183-a-09-(Congressman Ron Paul, R-Texas, in remarks)-"here at home"-Congressman Ron Paul says bringing U.S. military personnel home would help boost the economy. (13 Aug 2011)