Michele Bachmann Announces She Won't Run in 2014

U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., who was briefly a top candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, announced in a video released to supporters on Wednesday that she will not seek re-election. Despite winning the Iowa straw poll, Bachmann --a favorite of the tea party movement --quickly faded as a procession of conservative candidates -- Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich and eventually Rick Santorum -- elbowed her aside. After a close win in 2012 to hold on to her congressional seat, Bachmann was a top Democratic target in 2014.

"The law limits anyone from serving as president of the United States for more than eight years. And in my opinion, well, eight years is also long enough for any individual to serve as a representative for a specific congressional district," Bachmann insisted. "Be assured: My decision was not in any way influenced by any concerns about my being re-elected to Congress.

"I have every confidence that if I ran, I would again defeat the individual who I defeated last year, who recently announced he is once again running," Bachmann said.