Iowa Gov. Branstad says Bachmann could match Palin's star power

The Hill: Iowa Gov. Branstad says Bachmann could match Palin's star power
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R) compared Rep. Michele Bachmann to Sarah Palin over the weekend in analyzing the Minnesota Republican's potential impact on the presidential race.

“If Congresswoman Bachmann gets in, she has the potential to appeal to a lot of people who might have gone for Governor Palin," Branstad toldThe New York Times. "Imagine if they both got in. That could make it really interesting."

Both women running in 2012 seems unlikely. Palin has yet to begin building a campaign infrastructure — and the clock is ticking on that — while the other candidates have been diligently preparing for their runs. If Bachmann takes over Palin's slice of supporters, it could be bad news for former Sen. Rick Santorum.

The Pennsylvania Republican has made a career out of appealing to social conservatives. And during the testing-the-waters phase of his 2012 bid, he's indicated that will continue.


Back in December, Santorum admitted he saw Palin as one of his main competitors. "If she decides to get into the race, she will take a lot of air out of the room, that's for sure," Santorum said at the time. He also said that her media stardom could make it hard for her to have "normal interactions" with voters.

Bachmann may pose more of a threat. While she has the notoriety to raise large amounts of money on a national level, she isn't yet as well known as Palin. She may still be able to campaign on a retail level in early primary states, something the former Alaska governor would have trouble doing.