COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Submitting his wife’s filing papers for the primary, Marcus Bachmann dismissed a Tea Party leader’s call for Rep. Michele Bachmann to drop out of the presidential race, saying she and the Tea Party are a good match.

“Of course you’ll get some people who will say--, and have a different view," said Marcus Bachmann after he completed filing paperwork at the South Carolina Republican Party headquarters here. "But if you really study and understand who Michele Bachmann is and who the Tea Party is, it’s a tremendous match."

On Thursday, Ned Ryun, president of a group called American Majority and son of former Kansas Rep. Jim Ryun, wrote, “It’s time for Michele Bachmann to go," because, he said she is spending too much time talking about social issues -- something that is not in line with the Tea Party's fiscal focus.

Marcus Bachmann also said there was “nothing mysterious” about the fact that the campaign’s entire New Hampshire staff quit last week.

“Staff changes do happen," he said, "and I think that there’s nothing too mysterious about that occurring."

And when asked whether Rep. Bachmann would stay in the race past the Iowa caucus if she doesn’t win that contest, Marcus expressed optimism that she would.

“I think, as we’ve done our research," he said, "we would humbly say that Iowa is going to be a winning state for Michele. I have not heard of anything other than keep going ahead."