Iowa: Bachmann says she's still the one to beat Obama

Posted at 10:35 PM on January 3, 2012 by Paul Tosto
Filed under: Iowa, Politics

Despite a poor showing in tonight's Iowa caucuses, Michele Bachmann indicated she's still in the presidential race, telling supporters, "I am the true conservative" who can defeat President Obama.

Urging backers not to believe pundits, the Minnesota congresswoman said there were "many more chapters to be written" in the presidential contest and "I prefer to let the people of the country decide."

The party, she added, needed 'fearless conservative" to take on Obama, "a candidate in the likeness and image of a Ronald Reagan."

After winning a key Iowa straw poll in August, Bachmann fell steadily in the polls, especially after Texas Gov. Rick Perry entered the race.

Tonight, Bachmann tonight came in sixth, capturing only 5 percent of the Iowa caucuses vote and only 7 percent in Black Hawk County, where she was born.

UPDATE: Despite Bachmann's comments indicating she was staying in the race, her campaign manager was less sanguine, telling the Associated Press he wasn't sure if Bachmann would continue the campaign.