Michele Bachmann Drops Out

...and schedules news conference in their place

(NEWSER) - The hot scuttlebutt of the morning: Is Michele Bachmann dropping out of the race, even though she earlier vowed to stay in? "There are many more chapters to be written on our path to the nomination," she told supporters last night, but today's chapter apparently won't include any appearances in South Carolina. She canceled her scheduled slate of events there, and has called an 11am EST news conference in Des Moines, reports USA Today . Stay tuned. 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»

That's what 'best campaigner in family' was doing yesterday

(NEWSER) - Marcus Bachmann is "the best campaigner" in the family, wife Michele said in a speech thanking supporters after the Iowa caucuses, but he wasn't exactly campaigning while the rest of the team was out stirring up support on Main Street in Des Moines. No, "he was out buying doggie sunglasses for our dog, Boomer," Michele Bachmann revealed for no apparent reason. New York notes Marcus Bachmann's classic reaction to the revelation, which you can watch in the video at left. But more such moments may or may not be coming your way: Michele Bachmann said she would stay in the race despite a less-than-impressive finish in the caucuses, but this morning canceled a trip to South Carolina and scheduled a press conference for 11 EST. More»