Bigger threat to Michele Bachmann: Media scrutiny or Rick Perry?

For the moment, Rep. Michele Bachmann has established herself as the top threat to Mitt Romney in the race for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. A series of media investigations could take a toll, but the bigger potential problem is wildcard Texas Gov. Rick Perry.


Republican presidential candidate Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) of Minnesota speaks to employees and guests at the Cemen Tech, Inc. plant in Indianola, Iowa, Monday.
Charlie Neibergall/AP

Washington

There’s no doubt about it, a month after entering the presidential race, Michele Bachmann has momentum. The Minnesota congresswoman has surged to second place in the latest national poll of GOP voters on their party’s nomination. And she now places first in polls of Iowa Republicans, whose caucuses early next year will play a critical role in winnowing the field.

But with success comes scrutiny. And Congresswoman Bachmann now faces what every candidate with buzz goes through: swarms of reporters and opposition researchers going through every nook and cranny of her life, and her husband’s life, looking for anything that might shed light on who she is and what kind of leader she might be.

Election 101: Ten facts about Michele Bachmann and her presidential bid

Among the recent news items:

A hidden-camera report on ABC’s “Nightlineâ€