2012 Presidential Race Takes Shape Over Weekend

Iowa's much-watched straw poll this weekend gave voters greater insight into the evolving 2012 Republican ticket, as Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry moved forward, and Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race. Bachmann won the straw poll Saturday, which is seen as a big test of the Republican presidential race. The Congresswoman from Minnesota gave a strong showing, riding a wave of support from the Tea Party. Texas Governor Rick Perry also gave a strong appearance, as he formally announced his candidacy this weekend. The former governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty, dropped his presidential candidacy after a third-place finish in the Iowa straw poll. "I wish it would have been different. But obviously the pathway forward for me doesn't really exist so we are going to end the campaign," Pawlenty noted. Bachmann and Perry must now contend with Mitt Romney, who is seen by many as the man to beat. The race for the Republican ticket is expected to be heated, as candidates vie for the chance to take on President Barack Obama's re-election campaign. Politico pointed out one early gaffe Sunday night at a fund-raising dinner in Bachmann's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa. Perry arrived early, schmoozed the crowd and posed for photos. "But Bachmann campaigned like a celebrity. And the event highlighted the brittle, presidential-style cocoon that has become her campaign's signature: a routine of late entries, unexplained absences, quick exits, sharp-elbowed handlers with matching

, and pre-selected questioners," Politico posted in a story Sunday. Low approval ratings in Congress and slowing economic growth will undoubtedly weigh in on the race to campaign season, which should heat up shortly.