Pawlenty won’t run for re-election
posted at 2:55 pm on June 2, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will not seek a third term in office, the Star Tribune reports, after an announcement that Pawlenty will meet the media shortly. The move will surely stoke speculation about Pawlenty’s national aspirations in 2012:
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is expected to announce this afternoon that he will not seek a third term.
Under intense scrutiny about his future political plans, Pawlenty will hold a 2 p.m. press conference to discuss “his future plans.”
Two well-placed Republican sources confirmed that Pawlenty will announce he is not seeking re-election next year.
One source says Pawlenty has informed GOP leadership in the House and was meeting this morning with Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester. He planned to inform his staff at noon.
In one sense, this frees Pawlenty from political considerations during the next three months. The DFL had prepared an extensive “talking points” list to fight his efforts to balance the budget through unallotment after the DFL-controlled legislature bet big and lost that Pawlenty would call a special session. If Pawlenty has no intention of running for governor again, these arguments will matter little to him.
What are his options? In 2012, he has two choices to raise his national profile. He can either run for President against Barack Obama, or he can run against Amy Klobuchar for the other US Senate seat. If Al Franken gets seated after the court challenges, Minnesotans may want a more conservative representative in the upper chamber than the thus-far non-entity Klobuchar. Running for President entails a lot of risk, not just because incumbents win re-election more often than not. (Only Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush failed to win re-election in the last 30 years.) Pawlenty will have to go through other Republicans to get the nomination, and with the economy likely to be the main issue, Mitt Romney may have the inside edge.
Regardless, Pawlenty will only be 52 years old in 2012 and has plenty of time to pursue higher office. Minnesotans will lose out on one of the most effective guardians of fiscal policy we have seen in some time.
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In a statement, he said he was paw-lenty tired of congress.
cntrlfrk on June 2, 2009 at 2:57 PM
What a loss.
MadisonConservative on June 2, 2009 at 2:58 PM
I could have sworn that Fox reported that his news conference was going to be that Pawlenty would not be running for President.
I don’t think I was hearing things either.
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Hell, if he gets elected to Congress, he can anticipate another 200 years in office. He’s just a political embryo, if he gets elected to Congress.
OhEssYouCowboys on June 2, 2009 at 3:01 PM
Should I start working on paw-lenty=plenty jokes now?
lorien1973 on June 2, 2009 at 3:03 PM
Like Coburn, two terms is enough in this position. Move-on or move-up.
WashJeff on June 2, 2009 at 3:04 PM
OOPS..
Been thinkin’ pawlenty about congress.
cntrlfrk on June 2, 2009 at 3:06 PM
James Lileks for Governor!
Slublog on June 2, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Pawlenty has the potential to be a fine and thoughtful senator.
I just don’t see him being able to light a national fire.
myrenovations on June 2, 2009 at 3:07 PM
I didn’t realize there was a state where a Governor could serve more than two terms. Tennessee has a two 4-year term limit; Virginia has a one 4-year term limit.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 3:07 PM
I would move to Minnesota for that!
myrenovations on June 2, 2009 at 3:07 PM
Who are the likely contenders to be for Minn. governor now?
maverick muse on June 2, 2009 at 3:08 PM
Please. No. Don’t like.
Mommypundit on June 2, 2009 at 3:10 PM
No term limits in Illinois. You can run as many times as you want until they put you in jail.
Knucklehead on June 2, 2009 at 3:11 PM
No disrespect to the blogger or governor, but isn’t that damning with faint praise?
cs89 on June 2, 2009 at 3:12 PM
He could run for Senate. I could handle that.
BadgerHawk on June 2, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Al Franken for governor!
JetBoy on June 2, 2009 at 3:12 PM
The problems in this country can be traced back to term limits.
No accountability.
blatantblue on June 2, 2009 at 3:13 PM
I could see myself supporting him for President. We’ll see though.
brandozilla on June 2, 2009 at 3:15 PM
I’ve liked some of his decisions.
National? Not sure.
AnninCA on June 2, 2009 at 3:19 PM
Tim is a big “Cap & Trade” (Ration & Tax) greenie guy.
Perhaps Tim will go to work with/for Al Gore.
RJL on June 2, 2009 at 3:20 PM
2012 is a long way away. Pawlenty needs to increase his national presence if he wants to be competitive in 2012. I don’t know that Mitt Romney is going to fly in 2012–he’ll be older, and I don’t really see him taking any steps to avoid the “flip flop” label that helped sink him in 2008.
Yep–though I’d add that legislative term limits should be longer than 8 years, which is the norm in a lot of states. There is something to be said for institutional knowledge. In my state (Ohio), which has 8 year term limits, there’s so little institutional knowledge that lobbyists basically write all the bills and the legislators don’t know what the hell they’re doing.
Outlander on June 2, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Can he run for President and still raise his children?
Does he have foreign policy experience?
portlandon on June 2, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Maybe he just wants out.
This also brings up a thought I’ve had since Obama and the Dems passed porkulus. What conservative really wants to follow after Obama and the Dems get done destroying the economy for the next several generations. Cleaning up the domestic and international messes made by these Democrats after 4 years will be a nightmare. Why not just quietly retire.
AUINSC on June 2, 2009 at 3:35 PM
What does he read?
BPD on June 2, 2009 at 3:35 PM
I’ve seen Pawlenty speak and he has no chance at the election. One of the most boring speakers and he has no personality.
lavell12 on June 2, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Ed, How is Pawlenty’s championing of Cap & Trade “one of the most effective guardians of fiscal policy we have seen in some time?”
Nothing makes less financial sense, or any other sense, than Cap & Trade (Ration & Tax).
RJL on June 2, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Can he see Canada from his house?
Texas also has no term limits for Gov. Perry has been Gov here since 2000 when W was elected POTUS.
Seriously though, I don’t see Pawley having much of a shot in ‘12, esp if Romney and Palin run. In the end, I think it will come down to the 2 of them. With that, I say try for the Senate Timmy.
davek70 on June 2, 2009 at 3:46 PM
Oh well. At least Pawlenty (RINO-MN) made sure the MN kids would graduate, whether they know the material or not.
Rae on June 2, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Ed, now’s your chance – throw your hat in the ring!
Morrissey for governor!
irishspy on June 2, 2009 at 3:52 PM
T-Paw never topped 46% in the popular vote. He was elected because: 1) The DFL put up a hack (Moe & Hatch) and 2) there was a palatable 3rd party candidate running (Penny & Hutchinson) who siphoned of conservative DFLers & anti-DFL machine independents (like yours truly) in enough volume to give the race to Guv Tim.
In a straight up 2-candidate race the GOP doesn’t have a chance.
A purple Minny is a GOP pipe dream. It’s deep blue here, and the only way a GOP candidate wins statewide is with help from the IP.
I know your in denial about that Ed, but it’s time to man-up and face it.
Bruno Strozek on June 2, 2009 at 4:03 PM
I agree. He’s not ready to head a ticket. Maybe VP in 2012, put 2012 will require someone who can beat Obama’s brains in. He’s too Milt Milquetoast for that task.
BuckeyeSam on June 2, 2009 at 4:04 PM
Heh.
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 4:09 PM
Hurry up and start a PAC, Tim, so I can send you some money.
hawksruleva on June 2, 2009 at 4:10 PM
Pawlenty has good ideas and is a person I respect.
However, he needs to get better at public speaking with a purpose. He is boring to listen to, and sadly, you have to fire up a crowd to be able be effective as a senator or as a VP candidate.
Right_of_Attila on June 2, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Wait. He LIKES Cap & Trade? Hells bells. At least I didnt’ write that check yet.
hawksruleva on June 2, 2009 at 4:13 PM
I’d say. Don’t write that check!
ladyingray on June 2, 2009 at 4:19 PM
Cap & Trade? YIKES! Sounds like another Crist actually.
AUINSC on June 2, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Second that. So boring that even a mad-as-hell electorate would have difficulty getting excited about a Pawlenty candidacy in 2012. And his cap’n'trade position is pure poison to the GOP base.
Enough with this type of candidate. Please no Romney, Huntsman, Crist or Pawlenty in 2012.
Norwegian on June 2, 2009 at 4:27 PM
You betcha… he can see Canada from the roof of the Governor’s Residence.
benny shakar on June 2, 2009 at 4:27 PM
Seriously??? I can’t believe they haven’t adopted that nonsense here in California.
And, please God, do not let this guy run for President.
califcon on June 2, 2009 at 4:30 PM
I actually agree with you except on your last point, despite you obviously being a liberal. Either Pawlenty or Sullivan could’ve won in 02 b/c of Penny. Pawlenty won Republicans and leaners and no one else. I remember how bad his 02 campaign was. Totally agree with you for 06, it was literally the perfect storm that saved Pawlenty. Sullivan might’ve lost.
Don’t agree that a GOPer has no chance. I think Mary Kiffmeyer, Jim Ramstad or John Kline all stand good chances. And if Obambi leads us to economic ruin, even Brian Sullivan could win again.
IR-MN on June 2, 2009 at 4:39 PM
God Forbid we nominate someone boring! McCain’s excitement sure helped us last year!
The Dims nominated a boring guy in 2000 and won the popular vote. If only our guy was that boring.
Speedwagon82 on June 2, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Yea gads man! You’ve outed me to the HA crewe! ;-)
Count me as a 9/11 liberal then, after all, I voted for Bush in 04 and Johnny Mac & Norm in 08.
(BTW, my old comrades consider me apostate for the Bush vote and half of them won’t even talk to me anymore. Tolerance, you know…).
Bruno Strozek on June 2, 2009 at 4:48 PM
this may be a loss for Minnesotans, but I hope like heck the national GOP doesn’t try to sell him to the rest of us. NO thank you.
james23 on June 2, 2009 at 4:50 PM
TPaw is growing on me. Cap and Trade will probabaly be moot by 2012 anyway. I like the conservative backbone in a Blue-Purple state. His inclusiveness is more tone and approach than a compromise of principles.
swamp_yankee on June 2, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Minnahhh-sodahhh borders Canada, eh? Donchyaknow. Afta matta.
jbh45 on June 2, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Pawlenty is NOT boring. He played hockey as a youngster and that’s not a boring sport. Yep, you betcha. Keep those sticks on the ice, eh?
jbh45 on June 2, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Haha. I know this has nothing to do with the content of the post, but um, that’s two out of the last five, which gives you a different picture than “only those two have done it in the past 30 years.”
Anyway, other than that, an interesting post.
tneloms on June 2, 2009 at 6:07 PM
He’s not Pawlenty now; he’s T-Paw. Pawlenty was boring. T-Paw is sexy n exciting, sorta like John Cleese in A Fish Called Wanda.
He’d be very good for senate and he also deserves a closer look for Presidency.
promachus on June 2, 2009 at 10:08 PM
Me too
Pawlenty on regional cap and trade
Gov. Pawlenty said the cap-and-trade market is a good solution
Regional cap and trade moves industries to other regions
National cap and trade moves industries to other countries
entagor on June 3, 2009 at 3:11 AM
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