Tea Party darling Michele Bachmann (R-MN) talked up her home-field advantage as she officially announced her run for presidency this morning in Iowa. Bachmann lived in Iowa (a state she's hoping to win) until she was twelve and then moved to Minnesota where she became the state's first Republican woman elected to Congress in 2006. She told the crowd in Waterloo, her birthplace: “I often say that everything I need to know I learned in Iowa" and “It’s these Iowa roots and my faith in God that guide me today.”
And the polls are showing the contender has a shot.
In a Des Moines Register poll released on Sunday, Bachmann was a front runner in the Republican pack. The poll showed she made a good impression with 65 percent of likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa, but she's not alone in the lead. Former Massachusetts Mitt Romney is right up there with her.
Just last week, a AP/GFK poll showed Bachmann gaining national ground with Republicans, too.
The congresswoman hasn't spent much time in the political ring, but she's become a popular voice among conservatives with her sharp critiques of President Obama's policies, some which have gotten her into trouble. She has significant name recognition and leadership among conservatives. She gave opposing remarks after the State of the Union address on behalf of the Tea Party and heads the Tea Party Caucus in the House.
This morning, she made her feelings clear as she said the country can't afford four more years of "failed leadership."
This isn't the first time Bachmann has announced her intentions. During a GOP presidential debate in New Hampshire earlier this month, she told the crowd she had "filed her papers" so today's announcement was no surprise.
In the blogosphere there is loud chatter from both sides. Progressives have harsh words for the conservative Republican and many staunch conservatives say, they're ready for her.