CNN Exclusive: Bachmann to form exploratory committee in June, possibly earlier
Washington (CNN) - CNN has exclusively learned that Rep. Michele Bachmann will form a presidential exploratory committee. The Minnesota Republican plans to file papers for the committee in early June, with an announcement likely around that same time.
But a source close to the congresswoman said that Bachmann could form the exploratory committee even earlier than June so that she could participate in early Republican presidential debates.
"She's been telling everyone early summer," the source told CNN regarding Bachmann's planned June filing and announcement. But the source said that nothing is static.
"If you [debate sponsors] come to us and say, 'To be in our debates, you have to have an exploratory committee,' then we'll say, 'Okay, fine...I'll go file the forms.'"
Three GOP presidential primary debates are planned before and during early June: The first one on May 2 at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California and another on May 5 in South Carolina. CNN plans a GOP presidential primary debate in New Hampshire in early June.
Meanwhile, CNN has also learned that Iowa Republican state Sen. Kent Sorenson will likely be hired to be Bachmann's political director for the state - and that Bachmann aides hope to have a complete team together for Iowa by this weekend.
Sorenson is a prominent Tea Party figure in Iowa and holds sway with evangelicals in the state. He has publicly said he will support Bachmann if she mounts a presidential bid.
The three-term congresswoman and Tea Party favorite hopes to also have political teams in place - very soon - in New Hampshire, home to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, and South Carolina, host of the first presidential primary in the South.
"I could have state directors in all those states within a week," Bachmann Chief of Staff Andy Parrish said.
- Follow Shannon Travis on Twitter: @shantraviscnn
From CNN Politics
- Senate to vote on $40 billion Ukraine aid package
- Results are in: Best Balance Transfer card of 2022
- Democrats intensify efforts to stop implementation of draft New York congressional map that pits incumbents against each other
- Untitled
- Untitled
- White House working towards first presidential meeting with Saudi Arabia, which Biden had vowed to make a 'pariah'
Just going to waste a lot of time and money.
Ohm yes, pleaz run, the field of morons has one more open slot.
This woman have the nerves to say that she's running for President. What a Joke! Just bring it on Ms. Bachmann. You will be embarrass severly by our current leader and you will be defeated in your home state of MN. She's a Republican FIREBRAND that talks LOUD AND SAYS NOTHING!!!
Michele, please don't waste your money. Stay at home. Nobody will vote for you
I would rather see my dog be president,she's pretty smart, than this crazy self-deluded person.
Apparently there was lots of encouragement for her in the out patient support group she attends for the hopelessly stupid.
Oh Please, Oh Please, Oh Please run for President Sarah, I mean Michele, oh please!
OBAMA 2012!
Oh goodie, yet another clueless person who thinks that spouting a bunch of rhetoric, that most of the time does not even make sense, is a qualification to run for president. This woman has been jealous of Tim Pawlenty from the day he took office. She probably thinks she can actually steal some of his thunder.
Another clown in the circus!
Explore if you must . The answer is NO.
Wonderful. I really really wish and pray to God that she is the Nominee of the Republican Party. She would be a wonderful candidate to run aginst President Obama.
If this idiot wasn't so stupid, she'd realize that hell has already frozen over ... and that she missed the burning submarine; but in her defense, America has experienced far stupider presidential candidates over the centuries ... and several of them actually got elected – go figure ... and I didn't know the revolutionary war started in Concord NH ... man, am I dumb – YIKES !
OMG! We can has Bachmann and Palin on one ticket!!!!!!!!!! And I ain't talking about some political fetish movie either.... I may have to vote Teaparty this election, just for the laughs!
This woman is a certified nut job. If brains were horse manure she would't have a smell.
Thank goodness. Bachmann and Paul or Paul/Bachmann... winning ticket.
As a proud Minnesotan I'm glad we can share one of our great political minds like Michele Bachmann to follow in the foot steps of other great politicians from the Gopher state........ you know....like Jesse Venturs...ugh.
John Stewart and other late nite shows will have a great next season. It just keeps getting better and better. Maybe it is time to let England have another try at running this country. Just a thought.
If she runs, who are we going to replace that spineless weakling speaker with?
Bachmann, the former tax attorney and business owner, is one of the few politicians in the country that seems to understand the severity of the economic problems facing the nation and is willing to do something about it. Out with Obama and in with Bachmann!
This idiot wont win and she is wasting her time. I'm not voting for any of the racist republicans. They showed me their true nature for the past two years and it is a racist one. I'm voting for Obama.
Michelle Bachmann was not born in the united states. I want to see her birth certificate. She is totally Canadian. i can hear it in her voice just like her twit twin sister. There, thats proof! My opinion is proof!!!!
The woman has ABSOLUTELY NO CHANCE of being elected POTUS, so I hope she runs and wins the GOP nomination.
Not another Republican female idiot in contention. ... ugh!
Go, Michelle! I can't think of a better candidate for our president to run against. He'll be a shoo-in.
I am a conservative, but this is a waste of her time. She should continue her fights in the congress. Being a Tea Party Favorite probably won't help her. She will fall by the wayside early on.