Bachmann wins Republican straw poll

The 2012 Republican presidential race heated up as latecomer Texas Governor Rick Perry formally announced his candidacy and Iowans weighed in for the first time on their expanding field of presidential hopefuls, picking US Representative Michele Bachmann as their top choice for the party’s nomination.

Together, the events were certain to reshuffle the race to face President Barack Obama who has become increasingly vulnerable because of the sputtering economic recovery.