Bachmann makes it official
Mitt Romney had the scenic New Hampshire countryside. John Huntsman had the Statue of Liberty. Tim Pawlenty had the American Society of Yawn Specialists. And in her official presidential campaign announcement earlier this morning, Michele Bachmann had her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. But she's also got something else, something more valuable, something that no one else in the GOP campaign can say they have: momentum.
A new poll from the Des Moines Register and Selzer Research showing her in a statistical tie with Mitt Romney for the lead in Iowa's GOP nominating caucus.
Mitt Romney: 23%
Michele Bachmann: 22%
Herman Cain: 10%
Newt Gingrich: 7%
Ron Paul: 7%
Tim Pawlenty: 6%
Rick Santorum: 4%
Jon Huntsman: 2%
As you can see, Romney actually has a one point lead, but the poll's margin of error of 4.9 points means they are effectively tied. And on the important question of second choice picks, Bachmann comes out ahead: 18%
named her as their second choice, compared with just 10% for Romney. That puts Bachmann at 40% combined for first and second compared with 33% for Romney.
The poll was as bad for Tim Pawlenty as it was good for Bachmann. Finishing sixth behind Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul is a terrible showing. If he's not already toast, he's going to need a perfect storm to win. But Bachmann, perhaps amazingly, is the real deal.