Rep. Bachmann looks forward to 'limitless' future, but not in the House
Updated Wednesday 5/29 at 10:30 a.m. ET
(CNN) - U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a conservative firebrand whose bid for president last year ended after the Iowa caucuses, will not seek re-election to her Minnesota congressional seat in 2014.
Making her announcement in a video posted to her campaign website early Wednesday, Bachmann stressed she had no plans to fade from public view.
"Looking forward, after the completion of my term, my future is full, it is limitless, and my passions for America will remain," she announced.
Bachmann, who's in her fourth term representing Minnesota's 6th District, promised that there "is no future option or opportunity" that she "won't be giving serious consideration if it can help save and protect our great nation for future generations."
Bachmann staved off a tougher-than-expected challenge for her seat last November against Democrat Jim Graves, winning re-election by just under 5,000 votes. Graves has announced he will seek the seat again in 2014.
In her video announcement, Bachmann said her decision was not influenced by any concerns about winning reelection.
"I've always, in the past, defeated candidates who were capable, qualified, and well-funded. And I have every confidence that if I ran, I would again defeat the individual who I defeated last year, who recently announced that he is once again running," Bachmann said.
Nor was her decision based on any concerns over an ongoing congressional ethics inquiry into the improper transfer of campaign funds, Bachmann said in her video. She is also facing a Federal Election Commission complaint about her former presidential campaign.
"This decision was not impacted in any way by the recent inquiries into the activities of my former presidential campaign or my former presidential staff," she said. "It was clearly understood that compliance with all rules and regulations was an absolute necessity for my presidential campaign. And I have no reason to believe that that was not the case."
Bachmann's run for president in 2012 reached its peak in August 2011, when she beat out a slate of other candidates to win the Ames Straw Poll in the early voting state of Iowa, where she was born. Her campaign lost steam in the fall to other conservative candidates like Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, and she eventually placed sixth in the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses. She ended her presidential bid the next day.
In the eight-minute long video, Bachmann, an early supporter of the Tea Party movement, touted her work on a variety of conservative issues, promising to "to work vehemently and robustly to fight back against what most in the other party want to do to transform our country into becoming, which would be a nation that our founders would hardly even recognize today."
Bachmann was one of the leading supporters of the emerging tea party movement in 2010, founding the "tea party caucus" in the House of Representatives and delivering her own "tea party response" to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. Most recently she organized a tea party rally on Capitol Hill protesting the Internal Revenue Service's admitted targeting of conservative groups applying for tax exempt status.
In her video, she said she wouldn't let up on the causes she championed as a U.S. representative.
"I promise you I have and I will continue to fight to protect innocent human life, traditional marriage, family values, religious liberty, and academic excellence," Bachmann said.
In a polite statement, National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Rep. Greg Walden wrote Bachmann "has been a tireless advocate and dedicated Representative for the people of Minnesota’s Sixth District."
"Michele was the first Republican woman elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives, and she has worked hard each day to ensure that her constituents’ voices are heard in the halls of Congress," he continued.
Democrats were less laudatory - the House Majority PAC, which works to elect Democrats to Congress, wrote Bachmann's decision was "good news for the people of Minnesota and our nation."
"Bachmann voluntarily removing herself from Congress is a victory we can all celebrate today," the group's executive director Alixandria Lapp wrote.
CNN's Kevin Liptak and Martina Stewart contributed to this report.
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Clearly, if IQ tests were part of the election process, Bachmann would have been out long ago. But more importantly, America is coming to her senses about the hatred and destruction wrought upon this country by the Tea Party. Yes, even Minnesota's 6th district is starting to understand this. Jim Graves with likely be the next congressman from that district and there is no doubt he will be a vast improvement over Michele Bachmann. The country surely does not applaud Bachmann for her service, but we definitely applaud her decision not to run again.
Someone who was looking for any publicity she could get now wants to step down. One of two things happened: either she is involved with something and it will ruin her as a politician and she is getting our before it all becomes public, or the bosses of the tea party realized that she is not the darling that the tea party thought she was and is not worth backing. Either way the world is a better place without Bachmann in politics. The death spiral of the tea party begins, it implodes upon itself like blackhole of negativity that it bred. Grab the popcorn this will be a great show.
NOOOOOOOOOO! She was SO entertaining!!!
Good riddance to bad rubbish
Out with the garbage!
God is good! Another victory for Minnesota!
Liberals' are cancer to America
She fought for her values and i respect her for that.. Everyone that will comment on this page today will champion THEIR values as well. Either you have respect for your fellow citizens or you dont. Our freedom to express our differing values is the most important freedom we have.
The end of the road for her, she knew she can't win again, smart move, bye, see you in the other side.
Michelle Bachmann is one of the worst Americans to have ever lived. If she and her low rent tea party cohorts had not exercised such traitorous obstructionism at every turn, the economy would have kicked back up sooner. Nothing says democracy like ordering your followers to scream so loud no one else can speak or accomplish anything. She is a tratir to the state. good riddance.
She is perfect for and can always participate in the Dingbat Olympics. She easily take the Gold Medal!!
I don't doubt her patriotism, but I welcome her departure from Congress. Many of her incredibly out of touch views did nothing but subject the Republican party, and conservatives, in general, to controversy and ridicule. Thankfully the Bible doesn't claim the world is flat, or we would have heard her support for that too.
She knows she's going to jail for cheating last year. ha ha ha ha ha
She will become a lobbyist just like the other 70-80% of the members who have left congress. If you can't beat them, join them.
She will be greatly missed as a form of greater american entertainment.....I'm sure Fox will have her on as a commentator.
A great day for freedom!
To think there is a bit of sanity left in that woman's head baffles me. LOL
Bachmann will pop up as a repeating nightmare on FOX news and political talk shows.
The comedians are having a moment of silence in tribute. How long before she is on Faux News? I bet she's going to be a lobbyist.
She's just crazy just saying
Probably a really really good idea....you are about as wanted as the ebola virus
Too funny the way she controls the people's emotions posting their hate on this thread.
Good riddance you nauseating bigot !!!
One less person in the clown car.
The only people dumber then her, are the ones that elected her.