That Michele Bachmann has been one of the Tea Party's darlings for years is no surprise to anyone. That she is being asked to step down is a jolting shock, not only to the American public but to the Congresswoman and her campaign staff. In a statement issued by Ned Ryun, the President of the American Majority, Bachmann is called one of "the most vocal in her affiliations with the Tea Party" but Ryun feels it is still time for her to call it quits. "It is time for Michelle Bachman to go" read the first line of his statement issued today.

The American Majority, one of many Tea Party groups, operates in seven states across the nation but trains thousands of Tea Party supporters for various roles within the organization. The group has well over three hundred thousand likes on Facebook as well.

Bachmann's campaign manager, Keith Nahigian responded to the statement by saying that Ryun was allowed to have his personal opinion but that he did not speak for everyone within the Tea Party organization nor was it any secret who Ryun was backing. Nahigian is referring to the commonly held belief that Ryun is blatantly supporting Texas Govenor Rick Perry after commending his recently announced tax plan in a blog post. Ryun defended his comments saying that while he thought it was a good idea that he was not coming out in support or endorsing any candidate over another.

This marks the first time that any of the Tea Party groups have come out against any of the candidates that have been so apparently for them. But, critics have said that Michele Bachmann is not for the Tea Party but rather for herself and it is obvious. Another vocal Tea Party member called Bachmann a "back bencher" and said that her campaign is not one that can be taken seriously citing her ongoing issues with fundraising and her campaign staff as well as repeated gaffes and blunders, some too blatant to be overlooked. Bachmann has been the butt of many jokes since starting her efforts.

Bachmann won the Ames Straw Poll which is the first of the major contests that are meant to gauge early popularity and electibility but her numbers have been rapidly declining since then. All five members of her New Hampshire campaign staff quit, en masse in the past week, calling her national campaign staff cruel and unprofessional. She has also had members of her Congressional office quit in recent months as well.

The Tea Party Patriots, the largest of the groups in the US still is in full support of Bachmann's efforts.