Michele Bachmann's 'impressive' momentum
The 2012 presidential hopeful won Iowa's straw poll, albeit by a narrow margin. How far can this victory take her?
To capitalize on her victory in Saturday's Iowa straw poll, Michele Bachmann took a "victory lap" around the Sunday political talk-show circuit. Though the mock Iowa election has no official significance — it's not even always a good indication of which candidate will win the February Iowa caucuses, which kick off the presidential primary season — Bachmann said her performance proved that she's the Republican best qualified to beat President Obama in 2012. How much will Iowa boost her chances of winning the GOP nomination?
This cements Bachmann as a frontrunner: Michele Bachmann's big win in Iowa was "impressive," says W. James Antle III in The American Spectator. She didn't have the organization Romney had when he won in 2007, or that Pawlenty and Ron Paul had this year. "Her win was based on genuine grassroots enthusiasm." She's not just a Tea Party darling — she's a top-tier candidate and "people should not be so quick to assume her support will evaporate immediately upon the entry of Rick Perry, or even Sarah Palin, into the race."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The win won't change anything: Don't read too much into the straw poll results, says Nate Silver at The New York Times. Bachmann barely beat out Rep. Ron Paul, and her narrow win "comes on the heels" of a difficult month for the Minnesota congresswoman. Her standing in national polls is eroding, and it doesn't help that she and other Tea Partiers are getting blamed — even by some Republicans — for the debt ceiling debacle. Bachmann "cleared her first hurdle with aplomb," but there are many more ahead.
"You've just won the Ames Straw Poll; what are you going to do next?"
At least in the short-term, Bachmann needed this win: "Michele Bachmann had plenty to lose" in the straw poll, says Mark Murray at MSNBC. Especially with Perry entering the race, Bachmann couldn't afford to let her status as front-runner in the Iowa caucuses slip away. The margin of victory over Paul could have been more impressive, but this win was absolutely necessary for Bachmann to keep her "buzz, momentum, and front-runner status" alive.
"Analysis: Bachmann remains the Iowa front-runner"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Restoring life to an ancient watershed'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: March 26, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: March 26, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Xi-Biden meeting: what's in it for both leaders?
Today's Big Question Two superpowers seek to stabilise relations amid global turmoil but core issues of security, trade and Taiwan remain
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Will North Korea take advantage of Israel-Hamas conflict?
Today's Big Question Pyongyang's ties with Russia are 'growing and dangerous' amid reports it sent weapons to Gaza
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published