This morning, Michele Bachmann formally announced her candidacy for to become President of the United States of America. No small feat, might I add. Against a backdrop of staid, middle aged men, Bachmann shines as a charismatic, articulate, constitution-loving woman. With the Iowa Straw Poll less than 50 days out, the field of candidates continues to widen. Who will be the one to make Barack Obama a “One Term President”?

The major players so far are former MA governor Mitt Romney, former MN governor Tim Pawlenty, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, former Utah governor and US Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, TX congressman Ron Paul, former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain, former NM Governor Gary Johnson, former PA senator Rick Santorum, and a host of smaller candidates, with a number of big names like Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani, Rick Perry and several others that have yet to declare their intentions…

On the home turf here in Minnesota, we are faced with having two different kind of conservatives in the race for the GOP nomination. Bachmann has established herself as the Tea Party candidate, the one who the media loves to hate and who isn’t afraid to tackle the tough issues.  Pawlenty, by contrast, has an impressive, standard resume…former 2-term governor, former House Majority leader, attorney, etc. However, his political endeavors have been shaky at times and he fails to truly excite anyone outside of the center. Sure, he’s politically tried to move back to the right, but on a number of issues, he’s “flip flopped”, similarly to another famous presidential candidate (paging John Kerry….).

The next few months will be very telling for the two Minnesotans.  If either fails to make the top 3 in the Iowa Straw Poll in Ames, IA on August 13th, their campaigns are doomed. But right now, the momentum seems to be behind Bachmann, with Pawlenty eating her proverbial dust.  Will that change?  Possibly.  Only time will tell…