Congresswoman, Tea Party icon and former presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann is backing Sam Rohrer for U.S. Senate.

Rohrer said, “Our campaign is gaining significant momentum and support from conservatives all over the country. I am proud that conservative leaders like Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain have boldly backed my race against two candidates who were members of the Democratic Party before conveniently changing their party alliance prior to this election.”

Rohrer’s campaign is growing increasingly high-profile. He secured the endorsement of another one-time presidential candidate this weekend: Herman Cain. And he ran away with the straw poll at the Pa. Leadership Conference; he took 56 percent, compared to 19 percent for the second place finisher (Tom Smith).

Not to mention, of GOP Senate hopefuls, he’s become the top target of national liberal groups.

Rohrer leads the polls in the GOP Senate primary, due to the residual name ID from his bid for Governor in 2010 and the loyal grassroots supporters who bolstered that bid.

But that’s not saying much; the latest Public Policy Polling survey showed him at 16 percent.

His campaign says he’ll run a bit of television, but he cannot win the air war. His limited financial resources (he has about $120,000 to $5 million for Smith, and $1 million for Steve Welch), mean that he must run a shoe leather campaign to re-energize his supporters.

Perhaps recognizing that fact, Rohrer has embarked on a 100-stop driving tour of the state from now until primary day.