Bachmann's New Hampshire team claim they were 'treated as second class citizens' by 'rude' campaign . Bachmann spokesman hit back, saying: 'They want to call names, that's their prerogative' By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 15:54 EST, 26 October 2011 . Presidential Candidate Michele Bachmann registered by mail for New Hampshire's presidential primary after her staff's abrupt resignation last week. With all five of Mrs Bachmann's paid staff members in her New Hampshire office abandoning ship last week, the vying presidential contender could have opted to travel to the Granite state but chose to file by mail instead. Those now former-staffers have complained of receiving a cold shoulder by the candidate's national team, as well as to have been treated rudely. Iowa's 'it': Michele Bachmann has publicly acknowledged keeping her focus on the state of Iowa, choosing to slip an appearance to register for the New Hampshire primary this week . Most of the other presidential candidates have chosen to file in person, finding a campaign opportunity in their appearance. Separate from that crowd, Texas congressman Ron Paul sent a staff member to file on his behalf early Monday morning, though the former Governor of Utah Jon Hunstman arrived himself by the late afternoon in addition to former-governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney. With Vice-President Joe Biden's appearance, he filed on behalf of both himself and President Obama. Mrs Bachmann has visited New Hampshire twice since beginning her campaign, publicly acknowledging her decision to focus primarily on Iowa. The five former staffers of Mrs Bachmann had said, however, that they hold no ill will toward the Minnesota congresswoman, but they could not continue working for her because the national campaign team had been 'rude, unprofessional, dishonest, and at times cruel' to them. Scroll down for video . Problems: The five former staffers said they could not continue working for Bachmann because her national campaign team had been 'rude, unprofessional, dishonest, and at times cruel' to them . A press release issued by the New Hampshire team also accused the campaign as being 'abrasive, discourteous, and dismissive' of the state's voters. 'These are our neighbors and our . friends, and some within the national team treated them more as a . nuisance than as potential supporters,' the group wrote. The letter went on to tell how they had all been . full-time, paid employees until September 11, when they were asked to . temporarily go 'off payroll' due to financial concerns. Mrs Bachmann's New Hampshire campaign manager, Jeff Chidester, voluntarily took himself off payroll at the beginning of September until the end of the campaign because funds were so poor. 'It saddens this team to see a dedicated . patriot – a person so desperately needed in the White House – . sequestered behind a wall of pretense, guarded by political operatives . consumed by their own egos,' the group wrote. Alice Stewart, Mrs Bachmann's national spokeswoman, responded by labelling the group 'name callers' and admitted the national focus was on Iowa. Stranger: Michele Bachmann has visited New Hampshire just twice since announcing her campaign blaming her absence on the debt limit debate . 'Name calling': Alice Stewart, Mrs Bachmann's spokeswoman, dismissed the allegations . During her latest trip to New Hampshire earlier this . month, she blamed her frequent absence on the August debate in Congress over . raising the nation's debt limit. In an interview with John King on CNN, Ms Stewart responded to the criticism of the national team, of which she is a senior part, by saying: 'That's unfortunate. They want to call names, that's their prerogative. We wish them the best.' 'It is disheartening when members of the staff or volunteers or people who are working with the team decide to communicate with the media as opposed with the campaign,' Ms Stewart continued. 'We haven't heard anything from these people. It is unfortunate they chose to make it in such a public way.' However, the staffers made clear they tried to inform people within the national operation of their concerns well before they issued the press release. Mrs Bachmann's campaign manager, Keith Nahigian, sought to discredit the authenticity of the people behind the letter. 'The unauthorized news release was sent by a person who doesn't even work for the campaign and has never had authority to speak on behalf of the campaign,' he said. 'We are not responding to comments made by a person who was not even a staff member in New Hampshire.' Ms Stewart said that while the New . Hampshire operation was important, winning Iowa was the primary focus . for Mrs Bachmann and her campaign. 'First . and foremost, we have to get through the important first caucus state,' Ms Stewart told CNN. 'That's what she's focused on.' Little chance: Former campaign manager Ed Rollins quit in September, stating, 'I think legitimately it's a Romney-Perry race' Praying for miracle: The latest poll numbers are not good for Mrs Bachmann, pictured with husband Marcus, with support at five per cent . The New Hampshire exodus is the latest staffing dilemma to to hit Mrs Bachmann's campaign. In September, campaign manager Ed Rollins made a high-profile exit, saying the congresswoman's chances of winning the GOP nod had dwindled. He called her the 'third-candidate'  and said: 'I think legitimately it's a Romney-Perry race.' Mr Rollins revealed that his deputy David Polyansky would also stand aside. Earlier this month, seasoned Republican pollster Ed Goeas, who served as an adviser to Mrs Bachmann, and senior policy adviser Andy Parrish left her 2012 campaign. Since winning the Iowa straw poll in August, Mrs Bachmann's poll numbers have been on the slide and according to the latest Gallup poll, constucted between October 3-7, she has just five per cent support for the nomination. Harsh words: The press release which accuses Mrs Bachmann's national team of rudeness . Mitt Romney, on 20 per cent, Herman Cain, 18 per cent, and Rick Perry, 15 per cent, are out in front. Recent polls have also shown that despite earlier success, Mrs Bachmann is now rated no higher than fourth place in the Hawkeye State. In their statement issued on Sunday, . the former New Hampshire staffers also tried to clarify confusion that arose on Friday . when Mrs Bachmann's national spokeswoman disputed reports of a staff . shake-up. The group . said Mr Chidester quit . on Thursday following several 'serious incidents' during Mrs Bachmann's recent trip to the Granite State, but he informed the national campaign that others might be . interested in staying if national officials reached out to them. The other four staffers quit on Friday after their efforts to get in touch with the national team to discuss their concerns were ignored, they said. The group says that 'through all this chaos' they were, 'deceived, . left out of the loop regarding key decisions, and relegated to . second-class citizens within a campaign in which they were the original . members'.
Bachmann's New Hampshire team claim they were 'treated as second class citizens' by 'rude' campaign . Bachmann spokesman hit back, saying: 'They want to call names, that's their prerogative'