Glenn Beck said Thursday that, if the 2012 election were held today, he would vote for Michele Bachmann. He also issued a dark warning about what he thinks Barack Obama may do to America if he loses the election.
Beck was following rules he himself had set up, saying that he was only choosing among candidates who had declared they were running. (That meant no Sarah Palin and, since it was Thursday morning, no Rick Perry.)
Though he said Romney would "decimate" Obama and could pick up substantial Wall Street money, he stuck to Bachmann (or Rick Santorum, his second choice) because, he said, they will stand by their principles.
"Michele Bachmann is no lightweight," he said. "Neither is Rick Santorum. Neither one of them are going to give on their principles."
Beck has interviewed Bachmann many times, and has previously said he thinks she should run as Florida Rep. Allen West's vice presidential nominee.
He also said they would defend America from the havoc the Obama administration will wreak if it loses.
"I firmly believe that race riots are on the way," he said. "They are being encouraged...[the Obama administration] will take this country down. If it looks like they are losing, the uber left, they will take it down. If I can't have it, no one will."