Bachmann's Iowa Campaign Chair Defects to Ron Paul Camp

Michele Bachmann's Iowa campaign chair pulled something of a political shocker Wednesday evening, announcing that he was endorsing Ron Paul in the state’s first-in-the-nation nominating contest set for next week.

"Tonight’s a little tough for me; I’ve been serving as Michele Bachmann’s state chair for the last year," Iowa state Sen. Kent Sorenson told a Paul rally. "And while Michele has fought tremendously for my conservative values, I believe we’re at a turning point in this campaign. I believe that we have an opportunity to elect a conservative, someone who holds our values dear."

Sorenson continued: "While the Republican establishment is going to be coming [out] against him over the next several days, I thought it was my duty to come to his aid."

The move was that much more shocking because Sorenson had appeared at Bachmann’s side only hours before at one of her own campaign rallies, CNN reports. The defection was even a surprise to the Paul campaign, which learned of Sorenson's decision only minutes before he went on stage to announce the jump, according to Politico.

Bachmann responded to the news with a statement claiming that Sorenson’s switch "was a deliberate move by the Ron Paul campaign to discredit our campaign and our growing momentum," and that the state senator agreed to make the move because he was bought off – allegations that Sorenson denied Wednesday.

"Kent Sorenson personally told me he was offered a large sum of money to go to work for the Paul campaign," Bachmann wrote. "Kent campaigned with us earlier this afternoon and went immediately afterward to a Ron Paul event and announced he is changing teams. Kent said to me yesterday that 'everyone sells out in Iowa, why shouldn't I,' then he told me he would stay with our campaign. The Ron Paul campaign has to answer for its actions."