(Minnesota) Governor has D.C.'s attention

[question everything]

StarTribune.com

Governor has D.C.'s attention

Pawlenty's legislative success turned heads on the national political scene.

By Patricia Lopez, Star Tribune

5/28/07

(snip)

In the aftermath of a legislative session that just ended with Pawlenty fending off a barrage of proposed tax increases, the Minnesota governor's national profile is rising, as is talk of him becoming a vice presidential candidate. "He's a Republican who's saying no and making it stick," Weber said. "That he accomplished it against big Democratic majorities in the House and Senate enhances the credit he gets for that."

Even as Pawlenty insists he has no national ambitions and intends to finish his second term, he is a national cochairman of the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. He is also poised to become the next head of the National Governors Association, a spot that will give him key political connections and a pulpit on national issues. And he'll be hosting the Republican National Convention when it comes to the Twin Cities in 2008.

(snip)

Pawlenty won reelection in November by just 1 percentage point, but his political fortunes apparently have improved since then. A new Survey USA poll puts his approval rating at 55 percent. Pawlenty is "seen as young and vigorous, a successful executive in a purple state," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics and a national political observer. "That makes him an attractive property."

But Sabato said Pawlenty has one big flaw that could dim his national stature. "He's a conservative Republican in a state that has not gone Republican in a presidential race in 35 years," he said. A perceived inability to deliver his home turf could limit Pawlenty's usefulness to a presidential candidate, Sabato said. DFLers, meanwhile, see additional flaws. "I think exactly the kind of Republican we want to see on the ticket," said Andy O'Leary, executive director of the Minnesota DFL. "He lost 39 legislative seats in his time as governor and has never won a majority of votes in the state.

(snip)

With its 10 electoral votes, Minnesota is not a decisive prize in a presidential campaign. But as a swing state and GOP convention host, it's expected to be at the epicenter of the Midwest battleground. "He pulls off the trifecta of geography, ideology and overall profile," said Jennifer Duffy, co-editor of the Cook Report, a longstanding Washington political report. "That he got through his legislative session without a tax increase is a big win for him nationally," she added. Republicans, she said, "are realizing they've strayed from their core values, balanced budgets being one of those. So anyone who held onto that is looking pretty good."

(snip)

Phttp://www.startribune.com/587/story/1209950.html

[old guy]

1. No national ambitions?

This guy has been running for president since he first ran for governor. He signed a no tax increase pledge and knows if he goes back on it he is toast. Minnesota has some real problems that he will not address, as he has been hoping that he will be called to Washington before he has to answer for them.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Since the congress is democratic

don't you think they should get the credit for what Pawlenty has supposed to have accomplished.

There was an article on Brad Blog (I think) that said the only reason he won re-election is the republicans poured millions and millions into his campaign and swiftboated his opponent. They wanted to be sure that a democrat did have have the governorship of the state where they were going to hold the convention.

PAWLENTY IS NOT LIKED IN MINNESOTA. And I bet he stole the election thru swiftboating. I know I'm from Minnesota.

[question everything]

3. Unfortunately what happened in Minnesota mirrored D.C.

In both, the Democrats have the majority in the legislative body, but in both, the chief executive vetoed the bills that passed by the legislative body.

[dflprincess]

4. Timmy won both his statewide elections with less than 50% of the vote

he forgets that more than half the state rejected him even with help from out of state Republican smear jobs.

Remeber folks, Timmy was originally going to run for the Senate seat now held by Coleman, but the White House told him Coleman was their boy and he could run for governor and Timmy obeyed without a peep. They must have promised to make him vice-president if he obeyed.

[CatholicEdHead]

5. He may veto the budget because it accounts for inflation

Yep, a Republican voting against a straightforward budget.

[Cha]

6. Looks like a

corporatemediawhore article to me.