Bachmann Is Top House Fundraiser

While everyone was busy speculating about Sarah Palin’s fundraising ambitions, Minnesota Republican star Michele Bachmann quietly banked $4.1 million in the first six months of 2010. That’s twice as much as Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and more than any other member of the House of Representatives besides top Republican leaders John Boehner of Ohio and Eric Cantor of Virginia. Bachmann, 54, has been making headlines as a conservative firecracker since she first gained attention in the 2008 election, and her profile has only risen with the support of her Tea Party affiliation. Though Bachmann doesn't hold any leadership positions in her party, she recently started her own Tea Party Caucus in the House. Most of her money comes from small-dollar donations, but her biggest contributions—surprisingly, given her politics—come from organized labor.