First in time history a woman wins GOP straw poll and Bachmann is that woman.

Michele Bachmann wins Iowa Straw Poll with 4,823 votes
Ron Paul comes in a close (4,671) second.

Tim Pawlenty takes a disappointing third, more than 2,500 votes off the pace.
Update: first reports say Tim Pawlenty has dropped out of the presidential race !!

Rick Santorum came in fourth, a pleasant surprise.
Herman Cain put in a fifth place finish.

Newt finished with a few hundred votes (385) and completely "out of the money."

Rick Perry's write in votes beat out Romney's vote count, although Romaney
did not run a campaigm in the straw poll.

Pawlenty made a lot of noice, during the Iowa debate, arguing that Bachmann, while right on a host of issues, was not a "producer." Pawlenty argued for his accomplishements as he played down Bachmann's, an unfair argument in my opinion. Look, Palwlenty was a governor, and a very good one, at that. Bachmann is one of 435 representatives in the House. She came to the House as a successful practicing litigation attorney and business woman and is a major player in the conservative movement known as the TEA Party. The marked success of the TEA Party in the 2010 midterm elections is something, apparently, Tim Pawlently has forgotten about. Michele Bachmann is directly responsible (in part) for the conservative victory in that election, sweeping more than 80 conservatives into the House of Representatives. If it were not for that election and Bachmann's role in its success, we wold not be arguing about the debt crisis, today, Tim Pawlenty or not.

She is a power player in the House when the more Establishment Leadership might wish for her silence. The fact that she is right on the issues, as a Representative, means that she will be right on the issues as President. Pawlenty and others can play down the TEA Party's influence as much as possible, but it is the largest voting block in America today and Bachmann is part of its leadership. Pawlently does not think that is a noteworthy accomplishment !!!?? Go figure.

I will take Bachmenn's leadership and support of the 40 million member TEA Party all day long. Pawlently has a third place "accomplishment" to show for his criticism of the Lady from Minnesota.

Note: this is not an endorsement of Bachmann. There is plenty of time for that, and I do not mean "Pawlenty of time." But Tim is simply wrong to go after the congresswoman on the grounds that she has accomplished little.