In another sign he is mulling a presidential candidacy, Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s new PAC is set up and it's already attracting some heavy-hitting advisers and contributors.
By BOB VON STERNBERG and RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: October 1, 2009
The Pawlenty presidential buzz is kicking into higher gear.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty filed paperwork today with federal regulators to form the Freedom First PAC, a national fundraising committee he can use to aid GOP candidates in upcoming elections.
Simultaneously, he was featured -- with a photo -- at the top of the Drudge Report this morning with a headline asking, "CAN THIS MAN CONQUER OBAMA?"
The headline linked to a Politico.com story that reported Pawlenty "has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign" even as he has stayed "under the radar of D.C.'s political community"
In recent years, presidential candidates have started fundraising committees, such as Pawlenty has now done, to raise their profiles ahead of a White House run.
Since announcing this summer that he wouldn't seek a third term as governor, Pawlenty has incessantly stumped across the country at Republican events, insisting that he hasn't decided whether he'll mount a presidential run in 2012.
Pawlenty introduced himself in a video message on a new website -- www.timpawlenty.com -- that went live today. He also embraced his informal nickname in a brief biography, referring to himself as "TPaw."
"This is an important time in America," he says in the video. "The stakes are high and standing on the sidelines isn't an option. I'm making a commitment to you to fight for our principles. I'm asking for your support and I want to hear your voice."
The political action committee will allow Pawlenty to collect large donations, seed other Republicans' campaigns and fund his own travel and staff as he explores a possible 2012 run for president.
Along with creating his PAC, Pawlenty announced that he has enlisted a team of political consultants considered heavyweights in presidential politics.
The committee's co-chairs and announced staff show that Pawlenty isn't taking possibility lightly. It will be chaired by William H. Strong, vice chairman of Morgan Stanley, and. Vin Weber, a former Minnesota congressman turned Republican lobbying powerhouse. The PAC's advisers include Sara Taylor, a former White House political director, Phil Musser, a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association and Terry Nelson, a 2003 Bush-Cheney political director.
Michael Toner, a former Federal Election Commission chairman, will act as the organization's legal counsel.
The Democratic National Committee lambasted Pawlenty's moves as "back to the future."
"Recycling advisers from George W. Bush and relying on Washington insiders and lobbyists has to be utterly disappointing for those who thought Tim Pawlenty would bring a fresh approach to the Republican Party," the Democrats said in a news release.
According to the Politico story, "the moves underscore, and will lend credence to, the emerging belief among many establishment Republicans that Pawlenty is becoming the sole viable alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican primary rival. The Minnesota governor has even gone so far as to contact some of Romney's former supporters."
Appearing on Fox News Wednesday night, Pawlenty continued to deflect speculation about his ambitions.
"I really do not know what I am going to do," he said in an interview. "This is to benefit other candidates. What I am going to do down the road, I do not know."
A recent Star Tribune Minnesota Poll found Minnesotans aren't enamored of his potential run for presidential. Only thirty percent said he should run while 55 percent said he should not. Still, half of those in the survey said there was some or good chance they've vote for him should he end up winning the 2012 Republican nomination.
No comments:
Post a Comment