Politics

Bachmann not rushing to make an endorsement

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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After announcing on Wednesday that she is dropping out of the presidential race, Michele Bachmann dined with her aides in Iowa.

“We all had a really nice lunch and reminisced over the campaign, and everyone kind of went their separate ways,” her spokesman Alice Stewart told The Daily Caller.

As for what’s next for Bachmann, Stewart said in an interview on Thursday that the Minnesota congresswoman made it clear that she plans to rest up before making a decision on making an endorsement in the Republican presidential race.

“She’s been contacted by some of the candidates and she’ll certainly speak with all of them,” she said, “but in terms of an endorsement, that’ll take some time.”

Asked if it’s possible Bachmann won’t endorse at all, Stewart said, “No decisions have been made on that. She’s taking a little downtime, well-deserved downtime, and then she’ll move forward on deciding to endorse in the primary.”

Stewart declined to speculate on which candidate would be most likely to get Bachmann’s backing.

“She likes and respects personally all the other candidates and has a good relationship with them,” Stewart said. (RELATED: Full coverage of Michele Bachmann)

Bachmann wasn’t shy during the campaign in going after the policies of many of her opponents. She was among the fiercest critics of former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty before he dropped out of the race.

The congresswoman also took jabs at Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul and most recently former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

As early as this week, she criticized former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for his state’s health care overhaul. But Politico quoted former Bachmann campaign manager Ed Rollins last month saying that she had intentionally opted against hitting him harder earlier in the campaign, in hopes of a spot on the ticket with him if he won the nomination.

Reached by The Daily Caller on Thursday, Rollins wouldn’t guess who she is likely to get behind.

“I have no idea and haven’t talked to her or her campaign in a month,” he said.

Recollecting on the effort, Stewart called the campaign both a “fantastic” and a “tiring” experience.

“She’ll be back in Washington to do her work as a congresswoman… continuing to expand the message that she brought to this presidential campaign arena,” the spokeswoman said.

Stewart added: “She’s going to continue to fight for those issues: repealing Obamacare and taking on Barack Obama and this big government spending.”

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