Michele Bachmann Formally Endorses Mitt Romney for President

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota announced that she was backing former rival Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination.

While Bachmann, a favorite of the tea party movement, ranked as the chief conservative rival to the former Massachusetts governor briefly in the late summer, when she won the Iowa Republican straw poll, the Minnesota congresswoman was eclipsed by a procession of other candidates -- Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, businessman Herman Cain, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania.

Despite her win in the straw poll, Bachmann faded badly in Iowa. She ended her presidential campaign in January after placing sixth in the Iowa caucus, taking less than 5 percent in the Hawkeye State.

Despite questioning his conservatism during her bid, Bachmann announced on Thursday that she is backing Romney. She also ripped into President Barack Obamas record, insisting that Romney ranked as a much better alternative for conservatives.

"This November, Americans will be at the polls with a serious choice -- they can vote for more of Barack Obama's transformation of America, with more joblessness, higher energy prices, fewer opportunities for our children, more government controls, bailouts, and failed economic policies, or they can vote for a new vision of prosperity and liberty," Bachmann said on Thursday. I'm honored to announce that today, I am endorsing Governor Mitt Romney for president of the United States, a man who will preserve the American dream of prosperity and liberty.

"This is the last chance we have to keep America from going forward, over the cliff, as Governor Romney said, and restore the values of prosperity and freedom, Bachmann added. This is the opportunity for conservatives, independents, and disaffected Democrats to join me and Governor Romney in denying Obama a second term. On Nov. 6, the only option is Mitt Romney for president."