Eight is enough.
That is the message Tea Party darling Michele Bachmann delivered early today when she announced that she will leave the U.S. House after eight years. In a video message, she gave no hint about her future, but said she could have won re-election if she wanted to run.
The 57-year-old congresswoman who serves the area north and northwest of the Twin Cities surprised the Minnesota political community by posting a video announcing her decision. It came just a couple of weeks after she ran a television commercial, seemingly cementing her re-election plans.
“My good friends, after a great deal of thought and deliberation, I have decided next year I will not seek a fifth congressional term to represent the wonderful people of the 6th district of Minnesota,” she began her video. “After serious consideration, I am confident that this is the right decision.”
The announcement follows weeks of controversy about her aborted presidential campaign in Iowa, her home state. Her campaign is accused of improperly paying an Iowa state senator and other irregularities.
