Michele Bachmann (Photo: Facebook)

Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann dropped her presidential campaign today after a disappointing sixth-place finish in last night’s Iowa caucuses.

Her per performance last night, scoring a mere 5% of the Iowa caucus vote, is quite a different result than the Ames Straw Poll she won earlier last year. Although Ames had previously been seen as a tangible test of a candidate’s strength and organization in the Hawkeye State, the final results differed substantially from the straw poll’s findings. Governor Mitt Romney, who won Iowa’s caucus vote last night, did not even actively participate in the straw poll.

Meanwhile, the last night’s fifth place finisher, Texas Governor Rick Perry, vaguely tweeted his intentions to carry on for at least the next two primary state campaigns, despite sounding like he was considering dropping out himself last night.

Congresswoman Bachmann’s exit, as well as possibly Governor Perry’s if he does indeed abandon his presidential bid, is seen to benefit former Senator Rick Santorum, as they all occupy a more ideologically pure brand of conservatism and may have been taking votes away from one another much more so than Mr. Romney.

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