uses . ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁c auc uses ▁also ▁set ▁a ▁new ▁record ▁for ▁political ▁exp end it ures , ▁with ▁$ 1 2 ▁million ▁being ▁spent , ▁two - third s ▁of ▁it ▁from ▁" super ▁P AC s " ▁which ▁domin ated ▁the ▁campaign s ▁by ▁running ▁highly ▁negative ▁attack ▁ad s . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁August ▁ 1 3 ▁Am es ▁St raw ▁Pol l , ▁a ▁traditional ▁st raw ▁poll ▁held ▁in ▁Iowa ▁Republican ▁c auc uses , ▁Bach mann ▁narrow ly ▁defeated ▁Paul , ▁with ▁Minnesota ▁governor ▁Tim ▁P aw l enty ▁trailing ▁in ▁third . ▁Following ▁his ▁disappoint ing ▁showing , ▁P aw l enty ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁Three ▁candidates ' ▁deb ates ▁were ▁held ▁in ▁Iowa ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁the ▁campaign : ▁one ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 1 ▁in ▁Am es ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁st raw ▁poll ; ▁one ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁in ▁Des ▁Mo ines , ▁and ▁one ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 5 ▁in ▁Si oux ▁City . ▁Several ▁other ▁joint ▁candidates ' ▁appearances ▁took ▁place ▁during ▁the ▁c au cus ▁campaign ▁outside ▁Iowa . ▁ ▁The ▁day ▁after ▁her ▁uns atisf actory ▁sixth - place ▁performance ▁in ▁Iowa , ▁Bach mann ▁announced ▁she ▁was ▁dro pping ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁president ial ▁race . ▁Following ▁his ▁low ▁fifth - place ▁finish , ▁Perry ▁initially ▁announced ▁he ▁was ▁" re ass ess ing " ▁his ▁campaign ▁" to ▁determine ▁whether