Pawlenty Endorses Romney

First expense reports offer a glimpse into each campaign

(NEWSER) - Want to get to know your 2012 candidates better? Take a look at what they're spending campaign cash on, courtesy of expense reports obtained by the Washington Post . The first major spending reports of the campaign reveal that the candidates have spent about $32 million so far.

• Tim Pawlenty: You can tell the "upstart" candidate is focused on Iowa because he's spent $200,000 at businesses in the state. Total spent so far: $2.5 million, and a large percentage of that went toward payroll—odd since his top aides are working for peanuts . (Funny tidbit: He spent $7.07 at a Godfather's Pizza restaurant—that, of course, is the pizza chain formerly run by his opponent, Herman Cain.)
• Mitt Romney: The "establishment" candidate spent money on, not surprisingly, security and consultants—plus $750,000 at businesses in New Hampshire. More of his budget—18%—goes to administrative expenses than any of his GOP opponents. Total spent so far: $5.7 million.

Obama is clobbering Republican candidates in money race

(NEWSER) - Fundraising reports are starting to trickle in from the GOP presidential field, and the results look great—for Barack Obama. Even Mitt Romney’s vaunted money machine collected only $18 million in the first true quarter of fundraising, a big step back from his 2008 showing, Politico reports. The results only get uglier from there, with Tim Pawlenty and Jon Huntsman not even cracking $5 million, and the Republican National Committee $18.5 million in debt. More»

Pawlenty, Romney hawkish as Huntsman calls for faster withdrawal

(NEWSER) - The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan could become a major bone of contention among the GOP's 2012 hopefuls, judging by their differing responses to President Obama's speech outlining the US drawdown.

• Tim Pawlenty took the most hawkish position, calling the decision to bring all the surge forces home by the end of next summer a "grave mistake." "Look how he phrased the outcome of this war: He said we need to end the war 'responsibly,'" Pawlenty told Bill O'Reilly. "When America goes to war, America needs to win. We need to close out the war successfully."

Rivals seem united at New Hampshire debate

(NEWSER) - Seven rivals for the 2012 Republican nomination took to the stage in New Hampshire for a debate tonight, but their focus was on attacking President Obama, not trying to score points off each other. Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Michele Bachmann—who announced her candidacy during the debate —did little to emphasize their differences, generally passing up opportunities to criticize each other, the Washington Post finds. More»

First 2012 debate for Romney, Bachmann, Gingrich

(NEWSER) - Seven top Republican presidential hopefuls will gather this month for the first New Hampshire 2012 debate. Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Herman Cain, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum will meet at Saint Anselm College for the face-off, hosted by CNN ’s John King. It's the first debate of the election for Bachmann, Gingrich, and Romney, and it will be held June 13, some eight months before the state’s primary. More»