(CNN) - When Rep. Michele Bachmann heads to Iowa later this month, she just might have a potential presidential campaign on her mind.
"She's not taking anything off the table, her focus remains on Minnesota's 6th District, but she hasn't ruled anything out," Doug Sachtleben, Bachmann's communications director, told CNN.
Bachmann, who is beginning her third term, will head to the Hawkeye State on January 21 to deliver a keynote address in Des Moines at an event sponsored by the Iowans for Tax Relief. It's also expected the Tea Party darling will meet privately with Iowa political operatives to discuss a potential presidential bid.
News that Bachmann is considering an Oval Office run was first reported by ABC.
The outspoken congresswoman was among the first conservatives to embrace the Tea Party movement and has remained one of its staunchest allies in Congress. Last year she formed the House Tea Party Caucus and is usually a staple at Tea Party-backed events throughout the country. Bachmann is also a political ally of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, herself a Tea Party favorite who is mulling a presidential bid.
While little known to the broader electorate, Bachmann would enter the presidential race as a relatively familiar face to the Republican base. Her constant presence at conservative conferences in Washington and her at-times eyebrow-raising comments have all but made her a national figure among many Republican stalwarts - as well as a constant target of Democrats.
Most recently, Bachmann took heat for falsely claiming on CNN that President Obama's India trip in November was costing taxpayers $200 million a day. In another controversial comment, she called on the media in 2008 to investigate congressmen to "find out if they are pro-America or anti-America."
It's previously been speculated that Bachmann is mulling a 2012 Senate bid in Minnesota to challenge the incumbent Democrat, Amy Klobuchar. Either way, a trip to Iowa is a surefire way to raise any politician's profile – whatever the ambitions may be.
From CNN Politics
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Are all Minnesota Republicans running for President, is that what they were elected to do?
I really hope that this idiot runs. She is beyond Palin and her ilk in the stupidity stakes. The more exposure she gets the more the lies of the GOP will be exposed.
She's as crazy as Palin. Let her run!
I hope she does run-it will show the whole country what a certifiable whack job the people in her district have sent to congress-she is an embarrasment to the state, continuously makes stuff up, and is totally unqulaified to make any kind of executive decision that would impact the country. What ever happened to the informed electorate? In her districts case, it was obviously an urban myth!
Just what we need, another right wing whacko in the race...The Wasilla hillbilly will have to fight it out with her; that will be an interesting battle to see which one comes up with the whackiest ideas.
You must be joking....
This woman's entire philosophy can be summed up as: 'If you don't agree with me, you are EVIL.' I don't understand how such ignorant idiots get elected over and over again. I bet the tin foil market is the strongest in the country in her district.
Maybe we can get a Palin/Bachmann ticket to run for the White House – we can call it "Dumb and Dumber"!
The thought of this twit going in as the GOP candidate for POTUS is just too good to be true
Awesome....now every nutball in America will have someone to vote for. I wonder what color the sky is in her fantasy world.
LOL! Bachmann and Palin could come together to form the "Single-Digit IQ" ticket. Seriously, Bachmann is a nothing more than a warmed-over Fascist and won't be elected dog-catcher in a national race. Good Lord, I'm still laughing...
They call her Crazy Shelly for a reason...
Who, with any brains at all, gives a hoot what this nobody and naive woman ever wants to do?
Please let this happen. This is shaping up to be the most hilarious presidential primary season ever!
OK, it's official. The GOP has jumped the shark.
So basically anyone can run for POTUS. The Republican/Tea Party have made a mockery of the highest office in the land where they would have you believe that any nut job can make a run for Presidency. This only proves that the only thing Republicans have been successful at in the past two years is the dumbing down of America.Republicans are just bound and determined to finish off what Bush started which was the demise of America.
This is too rich. A possible Palin-Bachmann ticket? This would be great fodder for a new comedy show.
I say, "Run, Michele, run!" She and Sarah can fight it out for the nomination, and, if we're lucky, one of them will get it, and, if we're even luckier, the other will be their running mate. Then we'll see how electable they truly are. It'll be a dream ticket...for the Democrats.
Next thing you know, Carl Paladino might even throw his baseball bat...er...hat into the ring. And he might even have a shot at the nomination, since he'd probably walk around the convention floor threatening to take out anyone who doesn't vote for him.
Nothing...I repeat...NOTHING...could make 2012 funnier than this intellectually dishonest, pandering lunatic ideologue running for the WH. I now know what I'm asking for from Santa next Xmas.
Let's all hope she does. It will guarantee President Obama gets a 2nd term. Yey!!!!!
OMG She's even worse than Sarah Palin.
Early reports suggest that this trip will cost $100 million per day!
Bachman-Palin: A Team of...I can't even think of a word to describe this latest comedy team. I sometimes wonder about the intelligence of the American voter – but surely no one is dumbest enough to support either of these two for national office.
Wow, every idiot wants to run for "president". The presidency is becoming a joke!
Trust me fellow Americans. You do not want her in the White house.