Palin, though, would no doubt take over the spotlight if she decided to jump into the race. She became a model for a new kind of conservative female leader when she stormed onto the national stage in 2008, with her unapologetic attitude and an infant on her hip. She galvanized a wave of conservative female activists who leapt to her defense when she was ridiculed by comedians and some in the political establishment.

“A lot of us felt like we were getting attacked along with her,” said Teri Cristoph, a co-founder of Smart Girl Politics, an online network of about 40,000 conservative women. The group will conduct what its members believe is the first large-scale presidential straw poll of conservative female voters at its convention in St. Louis next month.

At a recent Bachmann event in New Hampshire, Jan Biller, a nutritional consultant who is debating between Bachmann and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, said a woman could be uniquely qualified for the White House.

“I think women are more in touch with the simple things that people want: enough food, a safe environment for their kids, a good education,” said Biller. “I see all of these things crumbling.”