Sarah Palin is in the headlines, Mike Huckabee is on television every weekend and Mitt Romney is making the rounds. But Tim Pawlenty is the one everyone should be watching.
The Minnesota governor began his push for the Republican nomination Thursday with a speech to the party leadership in San Diego. He spent time with the chairs of the New Hampshire and Iowa state parties and introduced himself to other influentials. He previously made it clear he isn’t running for a third term, so it’s becoming quite obvious he’s running for president.
Pawlenty represents the best opportunity for the party to expand beyond its natural base and reach out to a broader constituency, which nearly everyone agreed with necessary after Obama’s victory. Pawlenty’s core message – which he first brought to Washington last summer in an attempt to win the vice presidential nomination – is to focus more on working-class moderates, who he believes can be won over on fiscal issues. He calls them “Sam’s Club Republicans.” Pawlenty argues the party should be reaching out to Democrats and independents when they agree, and not just wait for Obama and congressional Democrats to botch their agenda. “Our strategy can’t be we hope the other side goofs up and kicks it in the dugout,” he said.
Palin has proven to be divisive within the party, with elder statesmen believing she is too unpredictable and unpolished to be a serious contender. They love what she has done for the working-class, conservative base, but worry her name on the 2012 ticket would create a circus. Huckabee is likely too conservative to win over many of the moderates that shifted to Obama last year, and Romney has faced attacks from both flanks because of changing positions on abortion and gay rights. The party needs a voice that can expand its message without agitating the base, and can give the GOP a hope of fighting with Obama for moderates.
Pawlenty can talk the populist game like Huckabee. He has some of Palin’s personal narrative appeal, and the economic experience the GOP loves in Romney. Plus we haven’t seen the baggage that has doomed many of the other possible 2012 candidates.
Pawlenty is trailing in the polls – he got 4 percent in last week’s Washington Post/ABC News survey – but right now the numbers are based solely on name recognition. But after announcing he won’t seek a third term, he has gone about reintroducing himself in productive ways. He was just elected vice chairman of the Republican Governors’ Association. And he went after Romney, arguing his healthcare plan in Massachusetts improved access while neglecting cost and quality.
Pawlenty is making the case of expanding the party at the moment Republican rank and file are the most eager to hear it. He may not be the flashiest, the best speaker or getting the most airtime. But his message may be the most palatable for a Republican constituency trying to find a way to appeal to voters beyond gay rights, gun rights and abortion.
Jed says:
Thanks for the intro to Pawlenty! Personally I am still in favor of Romney, who is going to be needed to clean up this economic mess, and who every day seems like the perfect alternative to Obama. After yesterday's beer fest at the White House, Romney, who doesn't drink, seems like he might bring some dignity to the office. Health care? Yes, the Massachusetts plan was not perfect, but it was co-authored by a Democratic congress who did not take all of his suggestions. Obama style socialism (I am starting to believe that word applies) vs. Mitt's Free and Strong America... Then you start comparing Romney with the bad habits of Sanford and Ensign, his campaign organization with anyone's, and his ability to fundraise that might only be matched by Obama and it is hard to imagine anyone else winning. I would take TPaw as a VP, if he doesn't overexert himself against Romney, or maybe an election or two down the road, although by then we might be seeing Jon Huntsman back in the states. Congrats to Tim on his new exposure, however!
Greg says:
Tim Pawlenty would not have even won the governor's election in Minnesota had it not been for last-week gaffs by Mike Hatch's campaign manager (did not know E-85 was ethanol in an ag. state) and Hatch himself let a crude remark slip. Pawlenty is the worst kind of self-righteous divider possible in politics. At a time when this country has problems urgently calling out for unified effort, Pawlenty is someone who listens to nothing but inflexible and often unproductive party orthodoxy. He disdains anyone, including legislators with whom he should be working to solve problems, who does not subscribe entirely to his own perceptions of everything. Furthermore, he is an unabashed political opportunist who will say anything and change his stance for the sake of political advantage, rather than rational compromise. He would tell us that he is a man who stands staunchly behind his values, but his actions tell another story. For instance, not that long ago he was actually a leading figure in the work to do something about global warming. Since he's thrown his hat into the presidential race, in order to court big campaign supporters, he's rejected that admirable position and has joined those who will surely fight against any meaningful action to deal with this momentously critical problem.
I don't believe that Tim Pawlenty would even be re-elected as Minnesota's governor and certainly is not an outstanding candidate for the presidency.