Bachman Wins Iowa Straw Poll

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann has emphasized her faith, Iowa roots and an anti-Obama message to win the Iowa Straw Poll.

Bachmann won with nearly 29% of the vote, Ron Paul received 28%, and Tim Pawlenty with 14%

The other six candidates placed well below that. Michele Bachmann emerged victorious from her campaign bus.

Rep. Michele Bachmann – Presidential Candidate-“Thank you everyone. We did this together.”

Just minutes earlier she had been declared the winner of the Iowa Straw Poll. She took 28% of just under 17,000 Iowa voters.

Afterward she posed for pictures and signed autographs. Bachmann won this contest despite only being in the race for a month and a half.

Tom Hauser – Reporting – “Have you been amazed at what you've accomplished in the last 48 days?”

Bachmann – “It's the people of Iowa who did this. This is 48 days and we are just astounded and stunned with the results. We are extremely grateful. We're humbled. We're gratified.”

Tim Pawlenty worked hard for a year trying to win here.

Mary Pawlenty – “Every single one of your votes matters so much.”

Even his wife Mary greeted supporters as they arrived by bus at the Iowa straw poll. But Pawlenty finishes a distant third behind Bachmann and Ron Paul.

Before the results were announced, he told me a top-three finish would be enough to keep his campaign moving forward.

Tim Pawlenty – Presidential Candidate – “Our goal here today is to move from towards the back of the pack here in Iowa to towards the front of the pack. I think the result here today will accomplish that goal.”

Michele Bachmann – “Everything i needed to know in life I learned in Iowa”

Bachmann played up her Iowa roots repeatedly during her campaign. It worked, but now the challenge will be to repeat this outside of Iowa.

“Michele Bachmann – “We'll go to all 50 states and campaign because we do intend to make Barack Obama a one-term president. This was the down-payment. There's a long way to go.”

The non-binding balloting is considered an early indicator of how Iowa republicans will vote.

Tags: michelle bachman, tim pawlenty, news, iowa, government