In a surprise video announcement to her supporters, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Stillwater) said she will not seek re-election next year.
Since 2006, Bachmann has been elected to four two-year terms as a representative to Washington, D.C. from Minnesota’s 6th District, which covers an area from the northern Twin Cities up through the greater St. Cloud area, including Sartell.
Bachmann spoke at the Sartell Memorial Day ceremony Monday, just one day before her surprise announcement.
In her video, Bachmann did not specify any particular reason for her decision not to run again. In the last election, she squeaked through to a victory with only about 4,000 votes more than her opponent, DFL’er Jim Graves of the Twin Cities.
Bachmann, who briefly campaigned for the presidency, is a former tax attorney. She founded the Tea Party caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives and is widely known for her conservative views, frequent appearances in the media and for making many misstatements and controversial accusations against the Obama administration.
Last month, her former opponent, Graves, announced he intended to run against Bachmann again in 2014. In her statement, Bachmann said her decision not to run has nothing to do with her concerns about possibly not being re-elected. She also said her decision has nothing to do with an inquiry now underway about allegations of ethics violations during her brief presidential campaign.
