Michele Bachmann wins the 6th CD endorsement

I wasn't able to be in Monticello, but accounts of the proceedings can be found at Residual Forces, Psycmeistr and SCSU Scholars.

As the Strib mentioned in its account of the convention, the convincing win is a sign of the power religious conservatives are capable of wielding in the Republican party, and it's also a sign of how these same religious conservatives often feel marginalized and taken for granted by their own party.

Bachmann's supporters have been so committed to the process of winning this endorsement because they feel that at last, here is one of us, one who understands us, who doesn't mock what we believe, who doesn't hold their nose when asking for our vote. They went to their caucus, they put themselves forward as delegates because they were excited. Bachmann was someone they were thrilled to support. Period. Not, as they have so insultingly been called, because they were robots. Because they had a candidate who could unleash their potential.

Already the cries of foul and unfairness have been raised. Some by good people, some by people who still don't understand a core component of the Republican Party.

The Strib also got something else right about Bachmann's campaign.

In the end, Bachmann simply out-organized her adversaries and showed up with the most troops.

"She ran a perfect endorsement contest," said Knoblach delegate Joel Carlson, a lobbyist and former legislator. "At my caucus, there were fewer party regulars and a huge turnout of church-based social conservatives" who came out for Bachmann.

Michele Bachmann is now running for the US Congress.

Good.