For now, Michele Bachmann's days as a GOP presidential frontrunner are in the rearview mirror. Poll numbers aside, the Minnesota congresswoman has unveiled some potential running mates.
In a Wednesday evening interview with Fox News's Greta Van Susteren, Bachmann reeled off a list of vice-presidential possibilities that included some Tea Party favorites and a big business mogul.
"We've got a lot of wonderful candidates who would fit that bill," Bachmann said. "Easily comes to mind I think would be Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina. Marco Rubio of Florida certainly would be in that category. There's a lot of great people out there. And Donald Trump is someone that I think a lot of people would be intrigued with, too."
Fellow GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum also made Bachmann's VP short list. In a Wednesday interview with the Des Moines Register, she described him as a "sharp guy" with the potential to fill the shoes of attorney general or another cabinet position.
"I have very high regard for Rick Santorum," Bachmann told the paper. "And I'm not just saying that. I mean that."
Bachmann's praise for her fellow Republicans came just before she received her first congressional endorsement. On Thursday morning, Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) was named Congressional Co-Chair of her campaign, marking the first public nod of support from one of her House cohorts.
"I know Michele is right on the issues that are important to conservatives across the country and I know she won't back off," said Franks in a statement. "I have seen her at work in Washington, standing firm on key issues like Obamacare, the debt ceiling, and TARP."
While Bachmann continues to vie for the title of president, one fellow Minnesotan sees her as a prime candidate for the role of vice president. U.S. News & World Report notes that former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, a supporter of Mitt Romney, touted Bachmann as someone who "could serve well" as vice president.
"Ultimately, she has benefited from national exposure," said Coleman at Tuesday's Congressional Leadership Fund roundtable. "I think she's handled herself extraordinarily well in the debates. She has exceeded a lot of expectations."