In Waterloo, Iowa on the eve of her official presidential campaign announcement, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) told Fox News that she has "the spirit" of John Wayne.

The presidential hopeful -- who was born and grew up in Waterloo as a child before moving to Minnesota -- said, "Well, what I want them to know is just like, John Wayne was from Waterloo, Iowa. That's the kind of spirit that I have, too."

The Washington Times points out one slight problem with the Tea Party favorite's remarks: The John Wayne with roots in Waterloo is John Wayne Gacy, a serial killer who was executed by lethal injection in 1994 after being convicted of 33 murders.

John Wayne -- the late movie star, director and producer -- was born in Winterset, Iowa, but appears to have no specific connection to Waterloo.

Bachmann's reference to Wayne in the Hawkeye State does not appear to be an isolated incident. In the latest edition of Newsmax magazine, the conservative congresswoman says in an exclusive interview, "We're seeing the nation move into decline. I'm not willing to do that. I'm not satisfied. I grew up with John Wayne’s America. I was proud that you grew up in John Wayne’s America: Proud to be an American, thrilled to be a patriot."

UPDATE: The Washington Times reports that Bachmann's camp addressed her remarks to Fox News in a statement saying, "John Wayne is from Iowa, his parents lived in Waterloo." CNN reports, "But according to the Waterloo Chamber of Commerce, the actor's parents did live in the city at one point."

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