Michele Bachman's presidential campaign has suffered two key personnel losses, as Governor Rick Perry of Texas surges ahead in the polls. On Monday, Politico reported her campaign manager, Ed Rollins, stepped down from day-to-day work to an advisory role, citing health concerns. “I wish I was 40 years old, but I’m not,” he said. “I’m 68 years old, I had a stroke a year and a half ago. I’m worn out.” Rollins's deputy, David Polyansky, resigned from the campaign completely. National Review reports that Keith Nahigian will replace Rollins. Citing the two outgoing staffers' expertise, Politico notes that "both played a critical role in vaulting Bachmann to a first place finish at the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa on Aug. 13, an event that served as the first critical test of organization in the first-caucus state." Bachmann's main challenge will be preventing the GOP contest from turning into a two-man race between Perry and former Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts. Currently, Rasmussen's Iowa Caucus poll has Perry well ahead of the Minnesota congresswoman with a 29-18 lead, with Romney at 17 percent.

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John Hudson