BACHMANN BOOMS IN IOWA – AT 8:54 A.M. ET:  Michele Bachmann is concentrating most of her attention on getting a big boost in Iowa, where she was born.  The Minnesota congresswoman, a Tea Party favorite, is now ahead in preliminary Iowa polls.  From Andrew Malcolm at the L.A. Times's Top of the Ticket blog:

While much of the nation's political community focuses on the deficit stalemate in Washington and President Obama's scheduled news conference to control the news cycle this morning, a new poll reveals Rep. Michele Bachmann has surged to the lead among likely Republican caucus-goers in Iowa.

Bachmann, an Iowa native who now represents a district in Minnesota, has built a lead over former Gov. Mitt Romney, who is focusing more on New Hampshire after a bitter and costly defeat in Iowa in 2008. Romney holds a huge lead in Granite state polls, although Bachmann has surged there too.

According to the new IowaRepublican.com poll, Bachmann has built a four point lead over Romney, 25-21. Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain are effectively tied for third with about 9% each, with Ron Paul at 6%, Newt Gingrich at 4%, Rick Santorum at 2% and Jon Huntsman at 1%.

An upcoming major measure of the Republican field's standing in Iowa comes at the Ames Straw Poll on Aug. 13, two days after a nationally-televised debate from Iowa on the Fox News Channel.

COMMENT:  If Bachmann comes out on top in the Ames Straw Poll, she creates more buzz, but let's not exaggerate it.  The buzz only continues if polls elsewhere show her moving up.  Already she's coming under fire from other GOP hopefuls because of what they claim is a lack of executive experience and a weak record in Congress.  Both are pretty accurate criticisms.  She has also been plagued by a series of gaffes, that, unlike those of Barack Obama, get reported quickly by a gleeful press, determined to Palinize her. 

But Bachmann is a terrific campaigner, and she comes prepared.  She's smart, educated in the law, a skillful debater, and she can surprise us.  Her next big date with a national audience comes with that Fox debate on August 11th. 

July 11, 2011