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| Michele Bachmann will not seek re-election to Congress | Michele Bachmann will not seek re-election to Congress |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2014, she has announced. | Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann will not seek re-election to the House of Representatives in 2014, she has announced. |
| The Tea Party leader, who represents a constituency in Minnesota, said her decision was not influenced by probes into her 2012 presidential campaign. | The Tea Party leader, who represents a constituency in Minnesota, said her decision was not influenced by probes into her 2012 presidential campaign. |
| Mrs Bachmann added she was unconcerned about her prospects for re-election. | |
| Though a backbencher in Congress, Mrs Bachmann has risen to prominence as a critic of President Barack Obama. | Though a backbencher in Congress, Mrs Bachmann has risen to prominence as a critic of President Barack Obama. |
| "The law limits anyone from serving as president of the United States for more than eight years," Mrs Bachmann said in an eight-and-a-half minute video posted to her website on Wednesday morning. | "The law limits anyone from serving as president of the United States for more than eight years," Mrs Bachmann said in an eight-and-a-half minute video posted to her website on Wednesday morning. |
| "And in my opinion, well, eight years is also long enough for any individual to serve as a representative for a specific congressional district." | "And in my opinion, well, eight years is also long enough for any individual to serve as a representative for a specific congressional district." |
| 'No re-election concerns' | 'No re-election concerns' |
| Mrs Bachmann's 2012 presidential campaign is the subject of inquiries into whether a campaign adviser received improper payments, including with funds from a conservative fundraising committee. | Mrs Bachmann's 2012 presidential campaign is the subject of inquiries into whether a campaign adviser received improper payments, including with funds from a conservative fundraising committee. |
| The Minnesota lawmaker said the probes had not influenced her decision. | The Minnesota lawmaker said the probes had not influenced her decision. |
| Nor is her move related to the announcement that Jim Graves, the Democrat whom she narrowly defeated in 2012, was running again, she added. | Nor is her move related to the announcement that Jim Graves, the Democrat whom she narrowly defeated in 2012, was running again, she added. |
| "Be assured: my decision was not in any way influenced by any concerns about my being re-elected," she said. | "Be assured: my decision was not in any way influenced by any concerns about my being re-elected," she said. |
| But Mrs Bachmann pledged to keep fighting for the principles that made her so popular with the conservative branches of her party, especially the populist anti-tax Tea Party movement. | But Mrs Bachmann pledged to keep fighting for the principles that made her so popular with the conservative branches of her party, especially the populist anti-tax Tea Party movement. |
| "To my detractors, my work continues for your best interest as well," she said. | "To my detractors, my work continues for your best interest as well," she said. |
| Mrs Bachmann rose to prominence criticising Mr Obama in 2008, when he was a senator running for the Democratic presidential nomination. She called him "un-American" in a TV interview. | Mrs Bachmann rose to prominence criticising Mr Obama in 2008, when he was a senator running for the Democratic presidential nomination. She called him "un-American" in a TV interview. |
| She became a leading figure in the Tea Party after founding the House of Representatives Tea Party caucus in 2010. | She became a leading figure in the Tea Party after founding the House of Representatives Tea Party caucus in 2010. |
| In her 2012 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination she led the pack early on with her blend of evangelical Christian social conservatism and fierce anti-tax rhetoric. | In her 2012 campaign for the Republican presidential nomination she led the pack early on with her blend of evangelical Christian social conservatism and fierce anti-tax rhetoric. |
| But she faded quickly, placing a distant sixth in the Iowa caucuses, the first contest of the race. | But she faded quickly, placing a distant sixth in the Iowa caucuses, the first contest of the race. |
| Also in 2012, Mrs Bachmann acquired a Swiss passport through her husband, but relinquished her Swiss citizenship days later. | Also in 2012, Mrs Bachmann acquired a Swiss passport through her husband, but relinquished her Swiss citizenship days later. |
| And she came under fire from fellow Republicans for suggesting that an aide to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had family connections to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. | And she came under fire from fellow Republicans for suggesting that an aide to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had family connections to Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood. |