Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has not voted in the House of Representatives since August 1, and has only voted 54 percent of the time since announcing her presidential candidacy on June 13.
According to data compiled by Congressional Quarterly, Bachmann has missed 150 votes since announcing her run. Her last vote was on August 1 -- a "no" vote on the debt ceiling deal. By the end of July, she had missed 50 out of 135 votes.
By contrast, her House colleague and rival for the Republican nomination, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), has participated in 84 percent of House roll-call votes since announcing his candidacy on May 13. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.), who recently ended his presidential bid, voted 87 percent of the time during his presidential campaign from July 2 to September 22.
Minnesota Public Radio reported that then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) missed 56 percent of his votes at the same point in his campaign for the presidency, while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) missed under half of votes.
Bachmann, unlike Paul, who has already announced that he will retire from the House, is expected to run for a for a fourth term for her seat in Minnesota's Sixth District should she not win the GOP nomination. Her presidential campaign and missed votes in the House of Representatives could mean trouble as constituents worry about her not focusing on her district enough.
The Cook Political Report rated her district as "Likely Republican" on September 29. She won in a landslide in 2010, but only won re-election by three points in 2008.
Bachmann's congressional spokeswoman, Becky Rogness, told MPR: "By continuing to lead the fight against the president's job-destroying policies, Congresswoman Bachmann is serving not only her constituents, but countless more Americans."
