Bachmann Axes Today's South Carolina Events

Announces she is suspending her campaign

(NEWSER) - Last night at the Marriott Hotel in Des Moines, Michele Bachmann vowed to stay in the race despite her sixth-place finish in Iowa. This morning she appeared in the same place , but sang a different tune: The sole female candidate for president is suspending her campaign. "I have decided to stand aside. I believe that if we are going to repeal ObamaCare ... we must do so united, and rally around the person our country selects to be that standard-bearer." More»

Ron Paul finishes third

(NEWSER) - Mitt Romney has prevailed in what could well be the closest primary or caucus result ever. With the final precinct reporting, Iowa's GOP says Romney has beaten Rick Santorum by just eight votes, with 30,015 to Santorum’s 30,007 out of a total of 122,255 votes cast. Politico (via AP) ranks the candidates in this order:

• Mitt Romney, 24.6%
• Rick Santorum, 24.5%
• Ron Paul, 21.4%
• Newt Gingrich, 13.3%
• Rick Perry, 10.3%
• Michele Bachmann, 5%
• Jon Huntsman, .6%

Candidates make last-minute preparations

(NEWSER) - A day ahead of Iowa voting, three candidates are within two points of each other in the latest poll: Ron Paul is leading the field at 20%, while Mitt Romney follows at 19% and Rick Santorum boasts 18%, having jumped eight points since earlier this week, notes Public Policy Polling . That gives him the clear momentum; he's also got the highest favorability rating at 60%. Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich trails at 14%, ahead of Rick Perry with 10%, Michele Bachmann with 8%, and Jon Huntsman with 4%. More»

But remaining GOPers are 'acceptable,' she says

(NEWSER) - Hey, America: You had your chance to pick the perfect presidential candidate and you blew it—according to Michele Bachmann. Asked who she thought the most conservative candidate still in the GOP race was, Bachmann tooted her own horn, CNN reports. "I was. I was the perfect candidate," she declared. "America had their chance with the perfect candidate. But any of our candidates are going to be acceptable to the American people." More»

When he'll most likely have clinched the nomination

(NEWSER) - Calm down, everyone. Mitt Romney will release his tax returns … just as soon as he has clinched the GOP nomination. "If I become our nominee, and what's happened in history is people have released them in about April of the coming year and that's probably what I would do," he said at last night's South Carolina debate . The presidential race will likely be decided by then, USA Today notes. As for the records, "I have nothing in them that suggests there's any problem and I'm happy to do so. I sort of feel like we are showing a lot of exposure at this point," Romney said. More»