Rep. Michele Bachmann has tapped veteran strategist Ed Rollins to run her presidential campaign, the latest sign that she could be a formidable contender in the Iowa primary once she actually enters the race. Rollins orchestrated Mike Huckabee’s breakout Iowa victory in 2008, and also managed President Ronald Reagan’s 49-state sweep in 1984.

But Rollins is also known for managing the failed campaigns of non-traditional candidates (like Ross Perot and Michael Huffington), so in a way the choice accentuates Bachmann’s position as the “outsider” in the race. The Red State’s Erick Erickson, however, sees the pick as a bold move that will bolster the congresswoman’s chances of success in the early primaries:

I’m already hearing from people on the ground in Iowa that Bachmann has the potential to make huge waves there. Given what Huck did in 2008 and Rollins’ knowledge of the lay of the land, it could turn Michele Bachmann into a serious contender for evangelicals and transition her from just being seen as a tea party candidate.

Bachmann’s appeal is that she has both Tea Party credibility and Washington experience. The problem is that her reputation as a polarizing firebrand would probably make it difficult for her to prevail in a general election. The latest Rasmussen poll, which found that just 20 percent of voters say she’s qualified to be president, underscores this. But putting aside her chances of winning the presidency, Bachmann’s choice of Rollins shows that she’s at least serious about winning in Iowa.