Is Cain's Suspended Campaign Good For Bachmann?
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The announcement that Herman Cain is suspending his 2012 presidential campaign may be good news for Michele Bachmann.
"This creates a huge opening for both Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry and probably, most importantly, Newt Gingrich. Because these are individuals who will probably stand to pick up the votes of Herman Cain supporters who are looking for someone else," said David Schultz, law professor at Hamline University.
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Schultz said it's no surprise that Cain is withdrawing from the race. After sexual harassment and affair allegations and weak performance on foreign affairs, Schultz said many expected this announcement to happen.
As for the choice to "suspend" his campaign rather than just drop out, Schultz said it's basically the same thing.
"Candidates have done that in the past, in terms of saying they're suspending their campaign. It's really become sort of a foreshadowing for eventually stopping their campaign, or eventually withdrawing."
During Saturday's news conference, Cain also said he plans to make an endorsement in the near future.
"If he's gonna make the argument and say that Republicans need to rally behind a likely winner, then it would be Mitt Romney. If it's somebody who's ideologically closer to him it'll be somebody like Newt Gingrich," said Schultz.
Schultz said Republicans have not necessarily lost a candidate who looks electable against someone like President Barack Obama, but clearly they've lost a candidate that an enthusiastic part of the party stood behind.
