WASHINGTON -- GOP presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul reacted Sunday to fellow candidate Herman Cain suspending his campaign, each saying they will pick up votes from Cain supporters.
Bachmann, a congresswoman from Minnesota, told Fox News' Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday" that she respects Cain and believes he was good for the Republican primary in general. Cain suspended his campaign on Saturday after mounting allegations that he sexually harassed women and had a 13-year affair with a "friend" named Ginger White.
"That was his decision" to suspend his campaign, Bachmann said. "I do know this, he brought so much energy and good will to this race. I think he has a marvelous personality, everyone enjoys him, and he's an intriguing candidate, a good candidate. The race was better for having Herman in the race, and I really enjoyed talking to him all through the race."
She said her campaign received numerous calls on Saturday from "people who wanted to switch over," saying she is "the true Tea Party candidate" in the race.
"I think we're going to pick up a lot of the support around the country from people who supported Herman Cain," she said.
Bachmann said she has previously defeated low expectations, citing as examples her election to the House of Representatives and her victory in the Iowa straw poll earlier this year.
"We fully intend to win in Iowa," she said. "I think that what people will find is that in this case too, the underdog has a very good chance of winning. We're working hard, because I am the only consistent core conservative in this race. Ultimately, I think people are going to come back on January 3 and I think I'll get their vote.
Ron Paul, a congressman from Texas and repeat presidential candidate, also said he believes he will pick up votes from Cain supporters, based on his bona fides as a Tea Party candidate. He said he likes to think of himself "as the flavor of the decade" and will continue to push his platform, which includes ending wars in the Middle East and boosting the economy.
"We've had the flavors of the month up and down so far in this campaign," Paul told CNN's Candy Crowley on "State of the Nation." "I'd like to think of myself as the flavor of the decade. So we keep plodding along on a couple issues that are really striking a chord with the people."
Paul said his camp is paying attention to where Cain supporters will move after the candidate suspended his campaign, particularly as those shifts begin to take place in the next few weeks. But he remained confident that he will be boosted by the shrinking of the GOP primary field.
"There are a lot of people who call themselves Tea Party people who did like the independent-mindedness of Herman Cain," he said. "So I think that I will probably do better, even though some people say, 'Oh, no, they're all going to go to so-and-so.'"