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BY NICOLE THOMPSON

ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN

Republican presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann’s top two campaign aides stepped down this week, raising the question, “is her campaign in trouble?”

“The category tonight - top ten signs Michele O’Bachmann’s campaign is in trouble, Michele Bachmann, ya. Her campaign manager resigned this weekend, her campaign funds have tightened and she has slipped to fourth among Republican voters in a recent poll.”

Bachmann’s campaign manager and architect Ed Rollins is stepping down to an advisory role, and deputy David Polyansky is leaving all together. Bachmann’s camp released a statement attributing Rollins’ move to his age and health, and that this reorganization was planned--

--but CBS News’ Jan Crawford says there’s a little more to it.

JAN CRAWFORD, CBS NEWS: “He also would not provide Bachmann, I’m told by sources close to the campaign, with the kind of information that she was needing, and she was getting tired of that and frustrated with him. So the next time he said, I’m tired, I’m getting too old to be doing this, she took him up on it. That was yesterday, and he’s out.”

While Bachmann’s campaign is still saying this was a planned move, the New York Times notes, this isn’t the best time for reorganization.

“Mrs. Bachmann’s momentum has slowed considerably since Gov. Rick Perry of Texas entered the race...
Just the idea of a shakeup at the top of a campaign is often enough to rattle the nerves of potential donors. When the top aides to Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, left this summer, it made raising money almost impossible.”

This is not the first time Bachmann’s had a staff shake-up. Politico’s Maggie Haberman writes:

“In her first two terms in Congress, Bachmann’s office burned through four chiefs of staff and five press secretaries. An additional chief of staff, who was never listed in public accountings or records, was hired but departed in a matter of days.”

Now that he’s out of the top spot, Rollins has some things to say about where Bachmann stands in the race to be the 2012 GOP nominee. CNN’s Anderson Cooper has the interview.

ED ROLLINS, FORMER BACHMANN CAMPAIGN CHIEF - “You know, I think it’s legitimately it’s a Romney Perry race, with the figures in the polls and the money, I think she’s the third candidate at this point in time.”

But in a visit to MSNBC Wednesday - Bachmann campaign spokesperson Alice Stewart says the congresswoman is very much still in the race, and reminded viewers about Bachmann’s victory in the Iowa staw poll.

ALICE STEWART, MICHELE BACHMANN SPOKESPERSON: “It’s not about who’s doing well in the polls right now, it’s about who will do well come, in the caucuses and primaries. Keep in mind Chuck, there’s been one race that matters to this point, one race, and Michele has won that. No one else can say that. So in terms of this campaign, we’re undefeated.”

Bachmann will take on other potential GOP nominees in a debate Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California. Stick with Newsy on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device for analysis of that debate.