A last place finish in the Iowa caucuses will mark Michele Bachmann’s last stand as a presidential candidate. The Minnesota congresswoman called it quits during a press conference in West Des Moines, saying “Last night the people of Iowa spoke with a very clear voice, so I have decided to stand aside.” Click below to read the rest of the story.
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The news comes on the heels of a dismal performance at the Iowa caucuses on Tuesday.
Bachmann garnered just 5% of the vote, dead last among the candidates who actively campaigned in the Hawkeye State.
Meanwhile, fellow GOP contender Rick Perry seemed to change course Wednesday on his decision to bail from the race — announcing on Twitter that he was headed to South Carolina.
“And the next leg of the marathon is the Palmetto State,” he tweeted, along with a picture of himself in running attire. “Here we come South Carolina!!!”
That was a far cry from his announcement Tuesday night after pulling in just 10% support, announcing in his post-caucuss speech that he was headed back to Texas to “assess” his future.
For Bachmann, bowing out included a rambling speech.
Bachmann didn’t say anything about her presidential run until about 10 minutes into her hastily called 11 A.M. press event — instead she attacked President Obama and his program of “socialized medicine.”
“What Congress has done in passing Obamacare endangered the survival of the United States of America,” she said at the Marriott hotel, surrounded by her five children and husband, Marcus. During the address, she said “Obamacare” more than a 10 times.
The Iowa native had won the influential Ames Straw poll last summer, but her campaign was quickly plagued by fleeing staff, an ineffective communications strategy, mediocre debate performances, a series of gaffes and a failure to maintain momentum with voters.
After the results from the caucuses were announced, Bachmann insisted to supporters Tuesday that she’d forge on with her campaign, arguing she was the best conservative to beat Obama in November.
Critics, including former Alaska Gov. and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, quickly called for Bachmann to drop out of the race following the caucus results.
“She has a lot to offer, also, but I don’t think it is her time this go-around,” she told Fox News.
“It makes sense,” said David Schultz, a political science professor at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., said of Bachmann’s decision.
“Going forward, she probably has almost no money at this point. She has no real organization in South Carolina to do anything. After the results yesterday, she was going to receive pressure from other social conservatives for her to leave the race. It makes no sense for her to go on,” Schultz added.
Bachmann promised to continue to fight for traditional marriage, religious liberty and to protect life.
“I have no regrets,” she said. “None whatsoever.”
