A social conservative who spoke to Bachmann Monday said she was “close” — but not quite ready to endorse Romney. A former Bachmann aide speculated that his trip to Minnesota could seal the deal. The Boston Globe reported this morning that “negotiations” with Bachmann were underway last night.

Bachmann’s campaign is also about $90,000 in debt, and latching onto Romney is a quick way to pay it down. After backing Romney, former candidate Tim Pawlenty received financial assistance from many of Romney’s former colleagues at Bain Capital.

Update (AP): She just released this statement: “Let me be absolutely clear — there are absolutely no negotiations between me and the Romney campaign regarding any pending endorsement of Governor Romney. I continue to speak with all the candidates and plan on uniting behind the presumptive nominee. The Boston Globe article today is completely false and I call on the Globe to retract their article.”