#1
Bachmann Enters The National Scene
Sarah Potratz, Staff Writer
Representative Michele Bach
mann (R) has represented Min
nesota’s 6th congressional district
since 2007. Aside from being a
staunch advocate of the Tea Party
effort and the founder of the U.S.
House Tea Party Caucus, she is
also a Republican candidate for
the 2012 United States presiden
tial election. She has won the
hearts of social conservatives and
the majority of votes at the Ames
Straw Poll, an achievement which
no female candidate had previ
ously accomplished. Bachmann’s
personality shines, her qualifica
tions put competitors’ to shame,
and her fundraising efforts are
overwhelming.
Although Bachmann’s future
does not rest solely on her aca
demic background, her education
certainly helps to separate her
from the rest of the pack. In 1974,
Bachmann graduated from Anoka
High School in Anoka, Minne
sota. Four years later, she gradu
ated with a B.A. from Winona
State University. In 1986, the
Congresswoman earned her J.D.
(Juris Doctor) at the O.W. Coburn
School of Law at Oral Roberts
University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Upon graduation, she furthered
her education at the College of
William and Mary where she
received an L.L.M. (Master of Law)
in Tax Law in 1988. Immediately
afterwards, she began her career as
an attorney for the Internal Reve
nue Service where she worked until
1993) when she left with the arrival
of her fourth child. Over the course
of her thirty-year marriage to hus
band Marcus Bachmann, they have
raised five biological children and
have fostered a whopping twenty-
three children - a point that re- j
ceives praise from both Republi
cans and Democrats alike. Aside
from her career with the I.R.S. and
her job as a mother, Bachmann also
held office in the Minnesota State
Senate from 2001 to 2007.
The extent of her potential is
quite possibly best seen through
her presidential campaign. With
the next United States presidential
election to be held on November
6, 2012, there is certainly an im-
^‘Hoivever, as the
race for the 2012
U.S. presidential
elections progress
es, her potential
will become more
apparent. ’’
STAFF
^hferald@meredith.cdu
heraldadvertising@email.
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Editors
Emily Gamiel
Ashleigh Phillips
StaffWriters
Shanna Alley
Molly Ashline
Samantha Biswas
Rebecca Brodney
Jillian Curtis
Julia Dent
Jackie Dering
Kristen Gallagher
Sarah Potratz
Christa Riley
Ritika Seal
Melissa Vink
Lizzie Wood
Layout Editor
toUy Ha'vkins
Literature Advisor
Suzanne Britt
Operations Manager
Jennifer Cash
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mense amount of work to be done
by any candidate to prepare for
such a monumental election. The
undetermined Republican candi
date will face incumbent Demo
cratic President Barack Obama and
an Independent candidate for the
title of 45th President of the United
States. Since early 2011, there has
been much political hearsay as to
whether or not Congresswoman
Bachmann would run for president
in the 2012 election. Bachmann
officially declared her candidacy
for the 2012 Republican presiden
tial nomination on June 13, 2011
during a Republican debate in New
Hampshire. She later announced,
“We cannot risk giving President
Obama four more years to disman
tle our nation. We must act now”
(OpenSecrets.org).
Hosted by the Iowa GOP at Iowa
State University on August 13,
2011, the Ames Straw Poll was a
major turning point for Republican
presidential candidates. The results
motivated some candidates to con
tinue their fight for the Republican
nomination while compelling oth
ers like Tim Pawlenty, who finished
third, to withdraw from the race.
Michelle Bachmann won the major
ity of votes with 28.6% followed
closely by Ron Paul with 27.7% of
the votes. Although he continues
to be the OOP’s leading candi
date, Mitt Romney opted to not be
included in this year’s Straw Poll.
Upon being the first female can
didate in history to win the Ames
Straw Poll, Bachmann announced.
image via intowars.com
“This is the very first step toward
taking back the White House!”
(Beaumont 1).
In order to understand Bach- ^
mann’s potential a-nd all that slie
has to offer our country, it is neces-.
sary to understand the positions
she holds on highly controversial
issues. As a staunch social conser
vative, she stands firmly against
abortion and same-sex marriages.
If she were elected, Bachmann
claims she would work to reduce
taxes for all Americans while re
ducing the corporate tax to help
generate growth in the business
sector. Bachmann claims she would
also repeal Obama’s healthcare
reforms and instill a healthcare
program like that proposed by Wis
consin Representative Paul Ryan
(R).
The full extent of Michelle Bach
mann’s potential may not yet be
known, as she has only officially
been a Republican candidate for a
mere three months. However, as
the race for the 2012 U.S. presiden
tial elections progresses, her poten
tial will become more apparent.
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