Bachmann Gives Up on NH

Campaign confirms she's focusing on Iowa, South Carolina
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 1, 2011 8:38 AM CDT
Election 2012: Has Michele Bachmann Given Up on New Hampshire?
GOP presidential hopeful Rep. Michele Bachmann speaks at a rally on August 19, 2011 in Mt Pleasant, South Carolina.   (Getty Images)

Where’s Michele Bachmann? Well, she’s certainly not in New Hampshire. She hasn’t visited the state since two months ago, and she canceled her last planned visit, after the Ames straw poll. In fact, every single 2012 GOP candidate other than Bachmann has been to New Hampshire since the straw poll. Residents had already suspected their state was being written off, and Bachmann’s campaign practically confirmed that yesterday, Politico notes, stating that Iowa is the campaign’s “main focus,” followed by South Carolina.

“We do plan to build on our efforts in New Hampshire in due time,” the spokesperson added. People in the Granite State are “baffled,” says a former state GOP chairman—perhaps especially so since before launching her campaign, Bachmann made multiple stops in New Hampshire and looked like she would campaign there intensely. Some suspect her withdrawal is a strategy to help her stay in the race, since she dropped in the polls after Rick Perry threw his hat in. But it may not be a good move, notes the former chairman: “I can’t point to a success story of someone who decided to not campaign in New Hampshire.” (More Michele Bachmann stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X