MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann swept aside doubts about her political future Wednesday, declaring less than a month after ending her presidential bid that she will seek a fourth term in Congress.
Bachmann's decision ended speculation she might be ready to move on from the House, perhaps leveraging her popularity among some conservatives into a career in talk media. Despite her high profile, Bachmann has been only a marginal player in Congress.
"I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing a strong, powerful voice to Washington, D.C.," Bachmann said in an interview with The Associated Press. She said a formal announcement would come later.
Unless redistricting radically changes Minnesota's Republican-leaning 6th District, Bachmann figures to be a heavy favorite. Other Republican hopefuls had stood aside awaiting her decision. No Democrats have yet declared for the race.
Bachmann is a potent fundraiser who brought in $13.5 million in her last House race, but she likely would start from scratch after the presidential campaign. A campaign finance report that would show how much money she can bring to the race isn't due until the end of the month.
Ken Martin, chairman of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer Labor Party, said Bachmann's announcement wasn't a surprise. He said Democrats would attack Bachmann for being absent from the district and for missing votes in Washington during months chasing the presidential nomination.
"Anyone who thinks that they're unbeatable is fooling themselves, and particularly once you hand us these issues on a silver platter," Martin said.
Martin said he's talked with several potential candidates who were waiting for a special redistricting panel to issue new maps late next month. He said some also were waiting for Bachmann's decision.
David Fitzsimmons, 6th District chairman for Minnesota's Republican Party, said Democrats "put a lot of resources and a lot of energy" into three previous high-profile candidates against Bachmann without seeming to make much of a dent.
"We're very happy and excited in the 6th to have her running again as congresswoman," Fitzsimmons said.
Bachmann captured some early momentum in the chase for the GOP presidential nomination by winning the Iowa straw poll in midsummer, but she eventually faded. Bachmann said she will not be working for any GOP candidate still in the race ahead of Minnesota's caucuses Feb. 7.
Bachmann also addressed President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech. As she did on the campaign trail, Bachmann criticized Obama for "doubling down on failures that didn't work."
She said she "chose to lay everything on the line this last year" because she saw a better way.
"I know how to create jobs and I am a job creator," Bachmann said. "I do have a formula for success. I have lived that formula. ... We need that voice here in Congress."
Also on HuffPost:
A look back at Michele Bachmann's presidential campaign:
More Culture Warrior Than Legislator?
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In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:
Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.
Despite skepticism and opposition from some, however, Bachmann's particular blend of conservatism has undoubtedly propelled her to the top tier of the GOP, at least in the public eye. Her legislative record, both as a state representative and a congresswoman, however, has been less impressive.
Bachmann's legislative deficiencies most recently arose when then-Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty claimed that his rival's legacy amounted to "giving speeches and offering failed amendments," and that her "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent."
Politifact deemed this charge to be "Mostly True," hanging their judgment in part on a Politico piece that summarized her meager accomplishments as such:
Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.
In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:
Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.
Despite skepticism and opposition from some, however, Bachmann's particular blend of conservatism has undoubtedly propelled her to the top tier of the GOP, at least in the public eye. Her legislative record, both as a state representative and a congresswoman, however, has been less impressive.
Bachmann's legislative deficiencies most recently arose when then-Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty claimed that his rival's legacy amounted to "giving speeches and offering failed amendments," and that her "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent."
Politifact deemed this charge to be "Mostly True," hanging their judgment in part on a Politico piece that summarized her meager accomplishments as such:
Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.
In Matt Taibbi's Rolling Stone profile of Bachmann, he claims that Bachmann's efforts to portray herself as a righteous and religious culture warrior prompt additional questions and skepticism:
Bachmann's story, to hear her tell it, is about a suburban homemaker who is chosen by God to become a politician who will restore faith and family values to public life and do battle with secular humanism. But by the time you've finished reviewing her record of lies and embellishments and contradictions, you'll have no idea if she actually believes in her own divine inspiration, or whether it's a big con job. Or maybe both are true -- in which case this hard-charging challenger for the GOP nomination is a rare breed of political psychopath, equal parts crazed Divine Wind kamikaze-for-Jesus and calculating, six-faced Machiavellian prevaricator. Whatever she is, she's no joke.
Despite skepticism and opposition from some, however, Bachmann's particular blend of conservatism has undoubtedly propelled her to the top tier of the GOP, at least in the public eye. Her legislative record, both as a state representative and a congresswoman, however, has been less impressive.
Bachmann's legislative deficiencies most recently arose when then-Republican presidential candidate and former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty claimed that his rival's legacy amounted to "giving speeches and offering failed amendments," and that her "record of accomplishment in Congress is nonexistent."
Politifact deemed this charge to be "Mostly True," hanging their judgment in part on a Politico piece that summarized her meager accomplishments as such:
Now in her third House term, Bachmann has never had a bill or resolution she's sponsored signed into law, and she's never wielded a committee gavel, either at the full or subcommittee level. Bachmann's amendments and bills have rarely been considered by any committee, even with the House under GOP control. In a chamber that rewards substantive policy work and insider maneuvering, Bachmann has shunned the inside game, choosing to be more of a bomb thrower than a legislator.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann swept aside doubts about her political future Wednesday, declaring less than a month after ending her presidential bid that she will seek a fourth term i...
MINNEAPOLIS -- Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann swept aside doubts about her political future Wednesday, declaring less than a month after ending her presidential bid that she will seek a fourth term i...
I wopuld think that Folks in Minnesota can do a lot better then to give this Women one more trem . This Lady lives on other Planet . We have enough of the
TUTTI-FRUTY flavor , yes ?
RJB6: I wopuld think that Folks in Minnesota can do a
LOL ,, AFTER all ,What other JOB could BACHMANN get? ,,like PALIN ,a POLE STRIPPER or LAP DANCER comes to mind r,, or maybe a paid HACK mouthpiece for FOX
BRIAN_TUCKER: LOL ,, AFTER all ,What other JOB could BACHMANN get?
I thought that she said that God told her to run for the Presidency. Did she called God or did God instructed her to run for the Congress? My God knows the future; maybe her god is a different god. My God is always right and maybe her god is always wrong. Michele Bachmann is as fake as Oral Roberts...she went to the school too.
Adeyemo_Sodipo: I thought that she said that God told her to
When God saw what he'd done inMinnesota, he realized his terrible mistake. To correct he sent her forth to wander alone in Iowa for forty weeks, she still didn't get the message.
EdZackly: When God saw what he'd done inMinnesota, he realized his
Bachmann is a delusional, less than mediocre legislator whose inflated ego has made her political office all about herself and not about the people she allegedly represents. So she is a shoe in for re-election in her low information district.
Vic_Nardozza: Bachmann is a delusional, less than mediocre legislator whose inflated
No one can be suprised by this. The anti-government Bachmann ready to line up at the government trough for another meal. While she may represent a republicon leaning district, she only carried it by very few percentage points last time around. With some financial help, perhaps her opponent this time around can retire her and she can go back to assisting Marcus in his reparative therapy clinic back home. That would be a win for her district and the country.
Fred_M_White: No one can be suprised by this. The anti-government Bachmann
We should be so lucky, she'll win on name recognition alone. That and the famed "safe district" that has been carved out so a Republican wins like clock work.
wikwox: We should be so lucky, she'll win on name recognition
Minnesota elected her three times.....intellegent people would of never voted for her once, so what does that tell you about the majority in Minnesota? Sad.
Kansas1: Minnesota elected her three times.....intellegent people would of never voted
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By DOUG GLASS 01/25/12 06:43 PM ET Associated Press