Did Michele Bachmann Scare Gov Tim Pawlenty Off the So Called "Values Voters" Straw Poll?

Michele Bachmnann is the second Minnesotan to appear on the Values Voters Presidential Straw poll. Shortly after this news broke, the FRC, sponsor of the "Values Voters" summit announced that Governor Tim Pawlenty pulled out of the straw poll.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been removed from the list of Republicans included in this weekend’s Values Voter Summit 2012 presidential straw poll.

An official with Family Research Council Action, the organization hosting the summit in Washington, said that Pawlenty’s name was taken off the ballot at his request. Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and South Dakota Sen. John Thune were added to the initial list of candidates.

No, Pawlenty hasn’t dropped the idea of mounting a potential presidential run. But the Minnesota governor will still be in China on a trade mission during the summit and chose not to be included in the poll as a result.

"Gov. Pawlenty is leading an official trade mission in China, is not able to speak at the conference, and therefore isn't listed,” Pawlenty’s spokesman Alex Conant said in an e-mail. “He had a great visit at the Values Voters Summit last year, appreciates their ongoing work, and is focused on helping conservatives win this fall."

If Michele Bachmann would get more votes in this straw poll than Tim Pawlenty, it would make Pawlenty's potential POTUS campaign look weak.