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Capitol View®
Brett Neely

Bachmann walks back presidential speculation

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WASHINGTON - Michele Bachmann is trying to tamp down the boomlet of speculation that she might run again for President in 2016.

In an interview yesterday with Real Clear Politics, the 6th District Republican congresswoman was quoted as expressing interest in once again seeking the Republican nomination after her first attempt in 2012 ended in a sixth place finish after the Iowa caucuses.

“The only thing that the media has speculated on is that it’s going to be various men that are running,” she replied. “They haven’t speculated, for instance, that I’m going to run. What if I decide to run? And there’s a chance I could run.” 

Bachmann, who's leaving Congress at the end of this term after narrowly winning re-election in her staunchly Republican district in 2012, went on to enumerate her advantages as a candidate, including her fundraising prowess and the lessons she learned from her first bid.

But less than 24 hours later, Bachmann says the reporter misconstrued her remarks. In a post on her Facebook page, Bachmann explained she was challenging the premise of the reporter's story:

The reporter’s underlying premise was that no woman would run for President on the Republican ticket in 2016, and if that would hurt the Republican Party. I disagreed with that premise.

My main point in the interview was that the media has failed to consider that there are a number of strong, accomplished, intelligent Republican women who could be in the mix for 2016.

Still, Bachmann left the door a tiny bit open for a comeback campaign.

I asked why the media assumes no Republican woman would run for President in 2016, including potentially someone like me? At this time I have indicated no intention to once again run for the top spot in 2016. Right now my focus remains on serving out the remainder of my term representing Minnesota’s Sixth Congressional District.