Republican Donor Suggests a Perry/Romney or Romney/Perry Ticket (ContributorNetwork)

New York supermarket magnate and Republican donor John Catsimatidis, has a suggestion for another formidable Republican ticket that can go up against President Barack Obama in the fall. He suggests a Mitt Romney/Rick Perry or a Perry/Romney ticket.

What is Catsimatidis' reasoning?

Catsimatidis, who has supported Romney and Perry, suggests such a ticket would have an ideological and a region balance. Romney is a northern moderate. Perry is a southern conservative. Thus the appeal of such a Republican ticket would be as broad as possible.

What are some of the historical examples of such a ticket?

Catsimatidis mentions the Kennedy/Johnson ticket of 1960, which married John Kennedy, a northerner, with Lyndon Johnson, a Texan. The other obvious example, though of an ideological as well as regional balance, was Ronald Reagan/George H.W. Bush 1980. Reagan was from California. Bush was from Texas but with roots in New England.

Are such tickets really "unstoppable" as Catsimatidis suggests?

Not always. In 1996 Bob Dole, a moderate, tried ideological balance by choosing Jack Kemp, a conservative icon, as his running mate. In 2004, John Kerry, a northerner, went for regional balance by choosing southerner John Edwards. In 1988 then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis choose Texan Lloyd Bentsen. All three tickets went down to defeat.

Have there been other combinations that have worked?

Some presidential candidates with little or no Washington experience have chosen a Washington insider to buttress the governing strength of a ticket. This was what was behind Jimmy Carter's selection of then-Sen. Walter Mondale in 1976, Bill Clinton's selection of then-Sen. Al Gore in 1992, and then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush's selection of Dick Cheney, a former congressman, White House chief of staff and Defense Secretary in 2000. All three of these tickets were successful.

How would that approach work for Perry?

Perry would choose a sitting senator or congressman in this scenario. Rep Michele Bachmann, another presidential candidate, is one possibility. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who would also bring in some ethnic balance, is at the top of everyone's list.

Texas resident Mark Whittington writes about state issues for the Yahoo! Contributor Network .

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Cain and Romney statistically tied in new Des Moines Register Iowa poll (The Ticket)

(Chris Carlson/AP)

Herman Cain and Mitt Romney are statistically tied for the lead in Iowa's Republican presidential primary race, according to a new Des Moines Register poll of likely caucus-goers in the state.

The Register survey, long considered the most reliable of Iowa polls, finds the former Godfather's Pizza executive with 1-point advantage in the state, leading the former Massachusetts governor 23 percent to 22 percent.

Ron Paul trailed in third place, with 12 percent support. The remaining 2012 hopefuls were in single digits, including Michele Bachmann (8 percent); Rick Perry (7 percent); Newt Gingrich (7 percent); Rick Santorum (5 percent) and Jon Huntsman (1 percent).

The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent.

Cain's popularity has soared in the state, in spite of the fact he's done little actual campaigning there. But Romney's numbers are equally surprising, given the ex-governor has visited the state just three times since launching his second White House bid this spring.

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Gallup: Perry leading nationally, Romney second, Paul third (The Ticket)

Less than two weeks into his official campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, Rick Perry has a 12-point lead over Mitt Romney, according to a nationwide Gallup poll of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents released Wednesday. Perry, the Texas governor, received the support of 29 percent of the poll's respondents.

Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who was in first place in the previous three Gallup surveys this year,  slipped to 17 percent in the poll, just four points ahead of Texas Rep. Ron Paul, with 13 percent.

The poll's margin of error is 4 percent.

A closer look at the numbers shows that, similar to recent polls taken in Iowa, Perry's base of support lies with the most conservative voters. Thirty-three percent of self-identifying conservatives said they were most likely to vote for Perry, while 16 percent of those voters backed Romney. Among those who attend church regularly, Perry leads Romney by eight points.

Romney does have a slight edge on Perry among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents on the east coast, and Paul dominates among younger voters, carrying nearly 30 percent of the voters between 18 and 29.

Gallup poll

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Perry swipes at Romney over health care and says he won’t vacation in Martha’s Vineyard (The Ticket)

Perry (Brett Flashnick/AP)

Rick Perry took a not-so-subtle swipe Thursday at Mitt Romney for supporting a state-sponsored health care program in 2005, when Romney was governor of Massachusetts.

"I think Mitt is finally recognizing that the Massachusetts health care plan that he passed is a huge problem for him," Perry, the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate, told radio host Laura Ingraham. "And yeah, it was not 'almost perfect.' I truly believe that you have to have the free market in play with our health care. I think Obamacare, which was modeled after the Massachusetts plan, was an absolute debacle."

Romney's plan--which included a government mandate that individuals purchase health insurance and a state health care exchange program--resembles President Barack Obama's national health care reform that that passed last year.

Switching to the topic of Obama's current summer vacation in New England at the end of the interview, Ingraham asked Perry to pledge that he will "never vacation on Martha's Vineyard."

"I'm not even sure I know where it is," Perry said.

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LAST TICKET: Palin ‘runs toward the danger’ in new trailer; Paul Ryan’s wine tab (The Ticket)

The Undefeated Trailer (Dain Valverde/Vimeo.)

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

• The trailer (above) for Sarah Palin's new documentary claims "like a marine, she runs toward the danger." (Political Ticker)

• Mitt Romney said he would fire White House advisor David Plouffe over Plouffe's unemployment comments. (Washington Wire)

• ...But some say his remarks seem worse because they were taken out of context. (The Plum Line)

• Coincidence? New Jersey state senate president Stephen Sweeney called Gov. Chris Christie a "rotten pr**k." This week, he was nearly struck by lightning. (Strictly Politics)

• Michele Bachmann laughed off that "sex appeal" comment. (The Campaign Spot)

• Texas political insiders say Gov. Rick Perry will enter the presidential race in the coming weeks. (Reuters)

• From June 26 to July 1, one-third of news links on blogs were about Bachmann. (Pew Research Center)

• Herman Cain is experiencing a big jump in national name recognition. (Politico)

• Wisconsin Republicans embraced the idea of running fake Democrats in the state's recall elections. (All Politics Blog)

• Rep. Paul Ryan appreciates really, really nice bottle of wine. (TPMDC)

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Boehner reportedly raises $29 million for Republicans (The Ticket)

(Photo of Boehner: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Fundraising in the 2012 GOP presidential race may have gotten off to a slow start, but that's not the case for the cash-collecting work of House Speaker John Boehner.

Sources close to Boehner tell The Hill's Michael O'Brien the top House Republican has raised more than $29 million so far this year. Of that total, $12 million went to his various fund-raising committees, including his leadership PAC. The rest he raised for individual GOP candidates and party committees.

By comparison, Boehner raised $50 million over the entire course of the 2010 election, when Republicans were fighting to regain majority control of the House.

Boehner's enormous fundraising haul comes as Republicans prepare for what could be a bruising 2012 campaign.

It's probably not a coincidence that aides to the House speaker are leaking out how much Boehner is doing to financially boost the party. As he continues to attempt to negotiate a deal with the White House over the debt limit, Boehner is facing a rebellion within his own ranks over how to reduce the federal deficit.

As the New York Times' Carl Hulse reports, Boehner has reportedly signaled his willingness to generate new revenues though an overhaul of the tax code. But other House Republicans have rejected that proposal, saying that it could prompt tax increases. Meanwhile, a significant portion of the House GOP caucus simply won't vote to raise the debt limit, no matter how strongly Boehner lobbies them.

If a budget deal is to be struck, Boehner must convince at least two-thirds of his caucus to support him--hence the reminder of how much the speaker has done to help them in their bids for re-election.

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Obama, GOP to meet Thursday on debt limit (The Ticket)

(Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

Following a public breakdown in debt limit talks on Capitol Hill, President Obama reports he will meet with congressional Republicans to continue the discussion Thursday at a closed-door meeting.

"I've asked leaders of both parties and both houses of Congress to come here to the White House on Thursday so we can build on the work that's already been done and drive towards a final agreement," the president said at a Tuesday night press briefing.

Obama slammed talk of a short-term deal to raise the government's debt ceiling to avoid default before the Aug. 2 deadline. He insisted that such an agreement would simply "kick the can down the road" and would achieve no long-term accord on the country's deficit problems. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) is among those lawmakers who've publicly floated that idea.

Talks with congressional leaders appeared to stall two weeks ago when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), walked out of discussions headed by Vice President Joe Biden over Democratic demands for an increase in tax revenue--a move Cantor and other critics say would just translate into tax hikes. Republicans say any deal to increase the debt limit must include offsets via spending cuts.

Obama chose to publicly scold members of Congress at a press conference last week, accusing Republicans of an unwillingness to cut their "sacred cows" and suggesting all members have procrastinated on the debt ceiling issue, comparing their work ethic--unfavorably--to that of his two young daughters.

Republicans quickly pushed back on the accusations, including the president's claim that he's been more available to work on this issue than have members of Congress, who have been in and out of recess.

"I think the best way to get an appointment with the president is to set up a tee time," Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Fox News last week, referencing Obama's enthusiasm for golf.

McConnell (who has invited the president to talks and been refused in recent days) and other GOP lawmakers have confirmed that they have accepted the president's invitation, but they note that they have yet to see what will be proposed.

McConnell expressed hope, but also doubts about the talks during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday morning:

We're eager to meet with the president to see if he is really willing to do something big for the country. We don't think it's absolutist to oppose more stimulus spending. We don't think it's Maximalist to oppose hundreds of billions of dollars of tax hikes in the middle of a job crisis. We have a better term for it: common sense. So we're ready to meet with the president on Thursday. Maybe he will have changed his mind and returned to his commonsense approach just back in December when he said that preventing tax hikes means -- quote -- 'freeing up other money to hire new workers.'

Indeed, amid all the partisan charges and counter-charges, leaders on both sides of the aisle remain doubtful about the odds for a final accord on a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

Even as he announced the scheduled Thursday meeting, the president made a point of tamping down expectations. "I don't want to fool anybody," he said, "we still have to work through some real differences."

The Treasury Department says the government will run out of available tools to pay its bills as of Aug. 2. The White House set July 22 as the target date for Congress to reach an agreement to avoid default.

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Bush allies could target Rick Perry’s presidential bid (The Ticket)

Perry and Bush (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP)

Rick Perry is still weeks away from deciding whether he'll make a bid for the GOP presidential nomination, but there are already signs he might face opposition from at least one influential GOP constituency: supporters of George W. Bush.

While Perry and Bush used to be close political allies, the bad blood between the two has become legendary in Texas in recent years, dating back to when the current Texas governor was quoted questioning Bush's conservative credentials in 2007.

As the New York Times' Jim Rutenberg and Jeff Zeleny write today, it's a message that Perry could revive in hopes of distinguishing himself from Bush in a potential 2012 run. But the strategy could also mobilize Bush's inner circle to work against a Perry candidacy, which they are already threatening to do.

"If you're really trying to be the nominee and want to go the distance, you just don't want the former president of the United States and his people working against you," a close "associate" of Bush, who declined to be named, tells the Times.

But it's unclear if Bush allies could really derail a Perry White House bid. Their previous attempts to undermine the governor have failed. Last year, several former Bush advisers and members of the Bush family, including former President George H.W. Bush, endorsed Kay Bailey Hutchison's primary challenge to Perry in the state's governor's race. But Perry ultimately hung on, becoming the longest serving governor in the country.

Dave Carney, a Perry adviser, downplays the tensions between his boss and Bush, telling the Times, "They are in the same church, different pews."

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Huckabee’s daughter goes to work for Pawlenty (The Ticket)

Sarah and Mike Huckabee (Danny Johnston/AP)

Mike Huckabee has been cagey about whether he'll endorse in the 2012 GOP presidential primary, but in what could be a possible hint about his preference, his daughter is going to work for Tim Pawlenty.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be a senior political adviser to Pawlenty in Iowa, where she'll lead the campaign's efforts to win the Iowa Straw Poll in August. She held a similar position in her father's 2008 presidential bid.

"It's clear to me that Gov. Pawlenty has what it takes to unite the party, unite the country and beat President Obama," Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.

She's the second key Huckabee adviser to go to work for Pawlenty in recent months. In March, Pawlenty hired Eric Woolson, a Des Moines-based GOP strategist who had been one of Huckabee's key advisers four years ago, to advise his Iowa effort.

Trailing in most early 2012 polls, the former Minnesota governor is investing big in Iowa, in the hopes that a win there could give him the political momentum he needs to win the GOP nomination. He's already running TV and radio ads in the state, and he's set to spend most of the next few weeks campaigning in Iowa.

Pawlenty's decision to hire Huckabee's daughter comes just weeks after the former Arkansas governor publicly advised the GOP hopeful to "get rid" of his campaign advisers after his dismal performance in last month's 2012 GOP debate.

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LAST TICKET: Cuomo shrugs off 2012 speculation; Spitzer’s show cancellation (The Ticket)

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

• New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called speculation about an Obama-Cuomo ticket "silliness." (WGRZ)

• The White House lifted a ban on condolence letters for the families of servicemen who commit suicide. (CBS News)

• Mitt Romney heads across the pond for fundraisers. (Political Ticker)

• David Duke is considering running for president. (Daily Beast)

• Why Joe Biden's decision to join Twitter today may not have been the best idea. (Daily Intel)

• A Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' aide who was shot during the Jan. 8 attack in Tucson, AZ returned to work this week. (Politico)

• Rep. Tammy Baldwin said she's likely to run for Wisconsin Senate. (The Capital Times)

• "DAMN!" a documentary of "Rent is Too Damn High Party" leader Jimmy McMillan, will drop next month. (PolitickerNY)

• Nevada's state Supreme Court upheld a decision to allow parties to choose nominees for the upcoming House special election. (Hotline On Call)

• So much for former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's talk show. (The Cutline)

• Want your lawmakers to work faster? A quick pace in the House this year has contributed to mistakes and confusion. (The Hill)

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Michigan Rep. McCotter to run for president (The Ticket)

(J. Scott Applewhite/AP)

Little-known Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan on Friday called on Americans to "Seize Freedom" via his newly unveiled presidential campaign website following reports the conservative Republican is planning to officially enter the 2012 race.

Advisers to McCotter told USA Today Thursday that the lawmaker will kick off his presidential campaign Saturday in his home state of Michigan. He will make his plans official today, Politico reports, by filing presidential paperwork with the Federal Election Commission and other reports indicate the announcement will be made Saturday in his home of Livonia.

As The Ticket has reported, McCotter has been inserting himself into 2012 discussions, even going so far as to offer some less-than-friendly advice to members of the burgeoning 2012 GOP field.

His representative made a scene at last week's preparation for the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa. Kellie Paschke, an Iowa-based conservative lobbyist working informally with McCotter, attempted to participate in the traditional "buy-in" for the poll (an auction where campaigns bid on plots of land on which to host straw poll supporters) without identifying for whom she was bidding.

After participants stormed out in protest, Paschke identified herself and successfully bid $18,000 to secure a plot for the Aug. 13, 2011 event for McCotter.

In the run-up to his campaign rollout this weekend, McCotter has been talking to the press about themes he hopes the build his campaign around: fiscal discipline, challenges created by globalism, and core Republican principles including smaller government.

McCotter pledged on ABC's politics webcast "Top Line" last week to offer blunt honesty to the American people. "I have no doubt that if I run I will be reviled across the country in many quarters," he said, arguing that unlike other candidates he won't change his position to suit a particular audience. The lawmaker said voters "have to hear an honest difference of opinion."

McCotter has served as a Michigan congressman since 2003 but holds virtually no national profile--a major obstacle for his projected presidential run. He is known for holding staunchly conservative positions as well for his willingness to buck his party on issues of importance to his home state and on proposals he believes defy his core principals, such as the financial bailout.

And for all those lamenting the absence of bass player Mike Huckabee from the 2012 race, take heart--McCotter is an avid guitarist.

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Huntsman’s son crashes Romney rally (The Ticket)

(Mel Evans/AP)

Will Huntsman, teenage son of Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, was spotted at a rally for his dad's competitor Mitt Romney in Salt Lake City Wednesday.

Sporting a fresh buzz cut in preparation for his first year at the U.S. Naval Academy, Huntsman's son made it to the front of the line, where Romney was shaking hands with supporters.

The Salt Lake Tribune has the details and the picture:

"Will Huntsman created a small headache for the presidential campaign of his dad — Jon Huntsman — when he flashed a "hang loose" sign and asked a buddy to snap a photo of him mugging with rival White House hopeful Mitt Romney.

...

"As Romney worked the rope line, Will Huntsman found his way to the front and was photographed posing — with pinky and thumb extended — with the former Massachusetts governor, arguably Jon Huntsman's chief competitor."

Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller told the Tribune that Will "wanted to see another campaign event" and "it was not his intention to be disrespectful in any way." For good measure, Miller added that the young Huntsman still supports his dad's bid for the White House.

Huntsman and Romney, distantly related, are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and both have deep roots in Utah. Huntsman served as governor of the state until 2009 and Romney directed the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

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• Herman Cain throws hunk of red meat to tea party in new ad

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Evangelicals favor Tim Pawlenty in new 2012 poll (The Ticket)

Tim Pawlenty has been working hard to make inroads among evangelical voters ahead of next year's GOP primary, and it appears his efforts might be working.

A new poll of evangelical leaders by the National Association of Evangelicals finds that a plurality of those surveyed—45 percent—want Pawlenty to be the 2012 Republican nominee. Mitt Romney trailed, with 14 percent support, while 22 percent said they were undecided.

As The Ticket previously reported, Pawlenty has sought to cast himself as an alternative to Romney among social conservatives, who remain skeptical about the ex-Massachusetts governor's standing on issues like abortion.

Earlier this week, Romney was criticized for refusing to sign a sweeping anti-abortion pledge sponsored by the Susan B. Anthony List.

But some leading evangelicals have openly questioned whether Pawlenty has the charisma to beat Romney or President Obama.

In February, Richard Land, policy chief of the Southern Baptist Convention, said Pawlenty was a "nice guy" but he "doesn't move crowds the way some do."

(Photo of Pawlenty: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

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LAST TICKET: Glenn Beck makes Rick Santorum uncomfortable, Romney to London, Pawlenty beefs up media buy in Iowa… (The Ticket)

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

• Days after House Speaker John Boehner played a round of golf with President Obama, GOP Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy said the president should "get off the golf course." (Bloomberg News)

• Mitt Romney is heading to London to raise cash from expats. (CBS News)

• Glenn Beck to Rick Santorum while shaking hands on camera: "I could kiss you in the mouth!" (Mediaite)

• Tim Pawlenty buys $14,000 of radio time in Iowa on top of a $50,000 TV ad campaign. (Ben Smith)

• Romney channels Margaret Thatcher. (Slate)

• Sarah Palin's move "The Undefeated" premieres in Iowa next week. (Des Moines Register)

• Herman Cain continues to endear himself to the press. (The Note)

• Van Jones launches a "liberal tea party." (The Fix)

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Whatever you do, don’t call Gary Johnson a ‘job creator’ (The Ticket)

It's not every day a politician makes a point to correct a news outlet that dubs him a master job creator.

When National Review magazine called GOP presidential candidate Gary Johnson "the best job creator of them all," the former New Mexico governor blasted the story out to supporters--but not in the way most campaigns would. Instead of basking in the credit, Johnson took issue with it: As governor, he insisted, he didn't create one job.

"Contrary to the news, I didn't create a single job," Johnson said in a statement. "Don't get me wrong. We are proud of this distinction. We had a 11.6 percent job growth that occurred during our two terms in office. But the headlines that accompanied that report—referring to governors, including me, as 'job creators'--were just wrong. The fact is, I can unequivocally say that I did not create a single job while I was governor."

For a libertarian-leaning GOP candidate like Johnson, renouncing credit for job creation is a key point of pride, and the suggestion that he'd been busy "creating jobs" as a public official a badge of shame, not honor. The best jobs, conservatives and libertarians contend, are the ones created by the private sector. The government shouldn't be in the business of "creating" jobs, Johnson argues, but rather should create a business-friendly climate permitting private employers to add new jobs.

In his own words:

In New Mexico, we focused like a laser on creating an environment in which real employers and job creators could produce job growth.

My priority was to get government out of the way, keep it out of the way, and allow hard-working New Mexicans, entrepreneurs and businesses to fulfill their potential. That's how government can encourage job growth, and that's what government needs to do today.

Of course, the problem for Johnson is that such semantic clarifications may not resonate in an age of three-second television sound bites and quick-hit blog posts.

While Johnson is being uncharacteristically honest for a national politician, his message could easily be lost on some--and opponents will no doubt misconstrue his words if he becomes a threat. No political operative will lose a moment of sleep over stripping those seven words--"I did not create a single job"--out of context for a TV spot.

Johnson, however, is betting that voters know better. With the rise of the tea party in reaction to President Obama's ambitious governing vision over the past two years, politicians do not boast (as much) about what they have done, so much as about what they have not done. For the time being, doing "nothing" is the new claim to legitimacy in the GOP primary field.

So perhaps Johnson's decision to push back against the job-creation claim means that he thinks he can get deeper traction among small-government conservatives--a critical primary constituency--by stressing his complete faith in the private sector. One thing's clear, at any rate: with his early approval numbers among GOP voters still in the single digits, the former governor can afford to take a risk .

(Johnson photo: Richard Shiro/AP)

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Michele Bachmann Must Capitalize on Debate Performance to Win GOP Ticket (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Michele Bachmann filed paperwork Monday announcing her candidacy for president of the United States. She made it official by making the announcement at that night's debate on CNN, where, by most accounts, she was the star. Bachmann was enthusiastic, graceful, and quick-witted, exuding confidence that some of her rivals lacked.

She now needs to capitalize on her debate performance and broaden her appeal and name recognition among the voters outside of Minnesota. It will be a long road to the White House, where pitfalls must be avoided and opportunities must be seized. Her stellar performance at the debate will be an advantage and a disadvantage to her in the upcoming primary season.

Advantages

Iowa

Although a Congresswoman from Minnesota, Bachmann was born in neighboring Iowa, home of the first caucuses. According to the Associated Press, Bachmann has broad appeal to both fiscal and social conservatives as well as evangelicals, who make up the majority of Republican voters in the Iowa caucuses. She has made numerous trips to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina in a bid to round up support in the early voting states. Mitt Romney avoiding the straw poll in Ames adds to her advantage in Iowa.

Her family story

Bachmann has a compelling family story that resonates with voters. Her parents divorced when she was young and she was raised by a single mother. She has since been married to her husband Marcus for over 30 years. They have five children of their own and have opened their home to be the foster parents to 23 other children. Because of this, she has earned bipartisan praise in Congress for being one of the leading advocates for adopted and foster children.

Engaging, confident, and well-informed

Bachmann is an engaging, confident public speaker with an excellent command of the facts. Monday night's debate only added to her appeal, showing her "as a competent, knowledgeable insider who would nonetheless carry on the fight against big government with the zeal of a Tea Party activist," reports the New York Times. According to Andrew Hemingway, president of the New Hampshire Republican Liberty Caucus, "In her demeanor, in the way that she carried herself -- she walked out of that debate where everybody said, 'She is a very serious candidate.'" Overall, she projected confidence, and voters want to elect a confident leader.

Disadvantages

Media coverage

The media are beginning to take her candidacy seriously. While prone to the occasional gaffe, and what politician isn't, some of the more liberal members of the media will use that to discredit her. In the aftermath of Monday's debate, some writers have dropped coverage of Sarah Palin and switched to Bachmann. While compliments were forth coming, some were of the back-handed variety, such as "she was at ease and forceful without looking crazy or out-of-control" from E.J. Dionne at the Washington Post.

President Obama's main strength in the 2008 campaign was controlling the media message. Bachman will need to do the same to avoid the Sarah Palin "I can see Russia from my house" quotes.

Political experience

Bachmann is light on political experience at the national level, having served in the House since 2007. Prior to that, she served in the Minnesota State Senate for six years, diving into the race in a fight over school standards. Before entering politics, she spent five years as a federal tax litigation attorney, working on civil and criminal cases. Her litigation experience shaped her support for simplifying the tax code and reducing the tax burden for families and small businesses.

Campaign infrastructure

Bachmann is a proficient fundraiser, collecting over $13 million for her last House campaign. Unfortunately for her, that does not translate into the organization and infrastructure to run a national campaign. She has been gathering the support of up-and-comers in the GOP, tapping Iowa State Sen. Kent Sorenson to run her Iowa campaign. Ed Rollins, Mike Huckabee's 2008 national campaign director and the orchestrator of Ronald Reagan's landslide win in 1984, has signed on to be Bachmann's campaign director, according to CBS News. Rollins also brought in Brett O'Donnell, adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain, considered the best debate coach in politics.

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Bachmann won’t seek House re-election … for now (The Ticket)

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) disclosed this week that she will suspend her House re-election campaign as she competes for the GOP presidential nomination. But that doesn't mean you can completely count her out for her St. Cloud-area 6th District race.

Bachmann announced during Monday's GOP presidential debate that she had filed paperwork for a formal run and later revealed on her Facebook page that as a result, she "suspended her Congressional campaign and is no longer actively seeking re-election" to the House.

But that doesn't mean she's completely out of the game.

Bachmann will have ample time to resume her House campaign in 2012 if she fails to gain traction in the early presidential nominating contests-- the filing deadline for her Aug. 24 House primary remains open until June 5, according to the secretary of state's website.

Even if Bachmann has challengers for her seat by June, she will still be the instant frontrunner having just secured a national profile in the presidential race. Plus, she could have a large cash advantage--it would be legal for Bachmann to transfer money from a presidential account to a federal campaign account, depending on the types of committees used.

Bachmann is certainly not the first sitting House member to keep her options open.

In the last presidential election alone, two sitting members of Congress--Reps. Ron Paul (R-Tex.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio)--ran for president, failed, and jumped right back into their 2008 House re-election races, which they each won.

Other sitting members, such as Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) and Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) chose to announce their retirements from Congress as a testament to their commitment to the 2008 presidential race.

UPDATE: 1:30 p.m. EST: Minnesota GOP Chairman Tony Sutton told Politico's David Catanese that he will keep the field clear for Bachmann.

(Photo of Bachmann: JD Pooley/AP)

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LAST TICKET: GOP wooing of Rick Perry begins; Chuck Rangel says Weiner shouldn’t resign (The Ticket)

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

• Republicans in key primary states are wooing Rick Perry for 2012. (Political Ticker)

• Jon Huntsman to meet with Henry Kissinger. (ABC News)

• Prosecutor who pursued Edwards is quitting. (AP)

• AMC Theaters will distribute a documentary about Sarah Palin. (Pop Watch)

• Charlie Rangel says Anthony Weiner shouldn't resign. (TPMDC)

• Rick Santorum launched his first radio ads. (Morning Call)

• Newt Gingrich's former staffers trash his wife, Callista. (Weekly Standard)

• Is it getting too late to run for president? (FiveThirtyEight)

• A "Draft Christie" effort was launched in South Carolina. (Political Ticker)

• Is Weiner broke? (NY Post)

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Mitt Romney won’t participate in the Iowa Straw Poll (The Ticket)

Mitt Romney will not take part in the upcoming Iowa Straw Poll, his campaign announced Thursday—a sign that the former Massachusetts governor might not compete as intensely in the state as he did four years ago.

Romney's campaign tried to soften the blow, pointing out that the candidate would also skip similar straw polls in Florida and Michigan. But the Iowa snub is certain to get more attention, given it's long been rumored Romney would focus his campaign efforts on other key primary states such as New Hampshire, which borders on Romney's home state.

"We respect the straw poll process," Matt Rhoades, Romney's campaign manager, said in a statement to reporters. "In the last presidential campaign, we were both strengthened as an organization and learned some important lessons by participating in them. This time we will focus our energies and resources on winning primaries and caucuses."

Romney aides insisted the governor would still campaign in Iowa--as of now, he is still expected to attend a 2012 GOP debate sponsored by Fox News in Ames on Aug. 11. But the straw poll has long been considered a necessary event for any Republican candidate aiming to court Iowa voters ahead of the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Yet a big straw poll presence didn't help Romney four years ago. In 2007, the ex-governor's campaign spent more than $1 million on the poll--setting up a campaign area that included a rock wall, a massive campaign stage and free barbecue for supporters. He won, but rival Mike Huckabee, who spent far less, got more attention for his second place finish and went on to win the 2008 Iowa caucus.

While Huckabee opted against a 2012 run, Romney still faces many of the same political problems he did four years ago, including a social conservative voting bloc in the state skeptical of the moderate views on abortion and other issues that he expressed in the past. But Romney is not the only one who appears ready to downplay the state. Earlier this week, Jon Huntsman confirmed he was unlikely to compete in Iowa.

With Romney and Huntsman out, that would seem to provide a major opening for Tim Pawlenty or Michele Bachmann--or perhaps even Sarah Palin--in the state. But the absence of two leading GOP contenders is bad news for Iowa, as it fights to retain its influence in the upcoming 2012 race.

(Photo of Romney: Carlos Osorio/AP)

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LAST TICKET: Alec Baldwin might run for NYC mayor; Weiner might be redistricted out of Congress (The Ticket)

Here are the stories we took note of today but didn't give the full blog treatment:

• Alec Baldwin might run for New York City mayor. (New York Daily News)

• Is health care actually dogging Mitt Romney? (The Fix)

• Al Franken seems glum on Obama's re-election chances. (Fox News)

• Even if he doesn't resign Anthony Weiner could end up losing his district. (The Fix)

• John Boehner has more expenses these days. (Roll Call)

• Tea party groups are warring over Romney. (HuffPo)

• Orrin Hatch trashes Jason Chaffetz. (The Hill)

• Cheri Daniels isn't into her husband, Mitch, being VP any more than she like the idea of him running for president. (Politico)

• Herman Cain admits he doesn't know much about foreign policy. (The Brody File)

• Rudy Giuliani says he'll decide by the end of the summer on a 2012 run. (Boston Globe)

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