Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., will emerge from her victory in the Ames Straw Poll as the favorite to win the Iowa caucuses, but Texas Gov. Rick Perry will steal some headlines for beating out former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney — even though Perry’s name wasn’t even on the ballot.
There’s only so much you can tell from a straw poll result, but it is an early test of organization and voter enthusiasm, and Bachmann deserves credit for winning it. Earlier this week, I had predicted that Rep. Ron Paul’s rabid supporters would put him over the top. He came close, but Bachmann still edged him out 4,823 to 4,671. Still a strong showing for Paul, but this is likely to be his finest hour. As the campaign goes on and the electorate expands, his performance is likely to diminish due to his eccentric persona and foreign policy views that are outside the mainstream of the Republican Party.
