Coleman May Have Shot as Governor

(NEWSER) - Tim Pawlenty will not seek a third term as Minnesota governor, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. Pawlenty is seen as a probable Republican candidate for 2012, but he was mum on the subject. “I don’t have any plans beyond serving out my term,” he said today. “I’m not ruling anything in or out.” He said he was leaving office to open up the field to others. More»

He may be the most underestimated Republican of the bunch

(NEWSER) - The name Tim Pawlenty doesn't exactly raise goosebumps on Republican voters, at least so far, but the Weekly Standard is out with a flattering profile of the outgoing Minnesota governor that depicts him as a force to be reckoned with in 2012. "He may, in fact, be the most underestimated Republican presidential candidate—one who could appeal to the Tea Party and the Republican establishment," writes John McCormack. More»

Pledges to 'slow down' law where he can

(NEWSER) - Tim Pawlenty is using the power of the governor's office to stake a claim against President Obama's health care overhaul—and get a leg up on other 2012 presidential aspirants. Pawlenty today forbid state agencies in Minnesota from applying for grant money available under the legislation, including a sex-education program, reports ABC News . “Anything that I can do to slow down, limit or negate Obamacare, I'm going to try to do it within reason,” he said. More»

Emmer embodies GOP's rightward shift

(NEWSER) - Meet Tom Emmer, the Republican candidate for Minnesota governor. Emmer, a state legislator, enjoys the backing of incumbent Tim Pawlenty but is philosophically far right of the current governor: Emmer is an avowed "Tenther" who believes the Tenth Amendment gives states the right to nullify federal laws, TPM reports. In fact, he's proposed a state constitutional amendment to nullify all federal laws—especially Obamacare—unless the state legislature approves them. More»

At CPAC, Minnesota gov. praises her alleged nine iron-antics

(NEWSER) - Most of Tim Pawlenty’s speech to CPAC today was standard small government conservatism, but he decided to illustrate his point with a Tiger Woods joke of questionable taste: “We can learn a lot from that situation, not from Tiger, but from his wife,” the normally staid Minnesota governor said. “We should take a page out of her playbook and take a nine iron and smash the window out of big government. We've had enough.” More»