Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has officially dropped out of the 2012 GOP primary process, ending her bid to become the 45th president of the United States, the congresswoman announced earlier today. Her decision to drop out of GOP race follows yesterday's Iowa caucuses, the first official contest of the 2012 primary season. Bachmann claimed only 5 percent of the overall vote and finished in a distant sixth.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry also hinted his possible withdrawal from the race after a disappointing finish in Iowa. Perry ended the night fifth.

During his concession speech last night, Perry said he was returning to Texas to think about his presidential aspirations, though today the governor said via Twitter that he would continue, at least through the South Carolina primary, the first southern primary of the 2012 season.

Perry's “Stronger” ad, where he said, “You don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school,” was panned on YouTube, but Perry has struggled since a November debate gaffe that all but ended his chance at the White House.

Bachmann struggled to establish herself as a viable contender to face Obama in November. She was, however, a favorite target for LGBT activists, who confronted her several times during her campaign. Bachmann was “glitter bombed,” came face-to-face with children of LGBT parents, and her husband's Christian counseling clinic, where you can “pray the gay away” was the target of a gay barbarian flash mob.

The attention was certainly warranted, but some have accused the “glitter bombers” of going too far to get their point across.

Perhaps no candidate in the race, save surging former Sen. Rick Santorum, was as vehemently anti-gay as Bachmann. Make no mistake, her demise in the primary process, albeit somewhat expected, is a victory for LGBT rights supporters.

Unfortunately, Santorum, who finished last night in a relative tie for the victory, has made outlandish statements against the LGBT community as recently as this week. Santorum told NBC he would “invalidate” currently legal same-sex marriages if he could pass a constitutional amendment, essentially a forced divorce for the thousands of gay and lesbian couples legally married in states like Iowa. He's also called the DADT repeal detrimental and promised a return to the anti-gay policy if elected.

Santorum is not a friend to GOProud or the Log Cabin Republicans, and he's definitely not a friend to the LGBT community.

The fight continues, but today is a good day.

Bachmann is out and we can hope Perry won’t be too far behind. Good riddance to them both.

Top photo: Michele Bachmann during a recent GOP debate (via Facebook)