Klobuchar 2016?

Klobuchar isn’t prone to setting the world on fire with barn-burning speeches or particularly daring swipes at the opposition, but she figures to do quite nicely in front of the Iowa Democratic activists who reside just across the border with Minnesota.

“She’s very articulate and does a great job of championing the values that we have, but then she also, just in on-one-one conversations, relates very well to people,” said Iowa state Rep. Tyler Olson, a Democrat who is running for governor and plans to attend Klobuchar’s speech next month. “We’re very welcoming, and one of the great things about Iowa is that we’ll give everybody a chance to tell their story and make their case.”

But the Pawlenty comparison may be a daunting one for Klobuchar, considering how quickly the once promising Republican candidate flamed out in 2011, as he struggled to gain traction in a crowded field of more dynamic personalities.

Without a large national profile and hailing from a mid-size state, Klobuchar has a limited fundraising network. And as is the case with every other 2016 Democratic hopeful, Klobuchar faces the stark likelihood of being drowned out completely by Hillary Clinton, whose entrance into the race almost certainly would preclude the Minnesotan’s candidacy in the first place.

But Clinton is unlikely to be miffed by the low-key lawmaker’s early foray into Iowa, particularly since the former secretary of state is being singled out for an award at the Wing Ding fundraiser.