Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, who has already launched an exploratory bid, will formally kick off his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday.
Pawlenty will make the announcement in Des Moines, Iowa, the state that will host the first presidential caucus. After that, he will head to the Sunshine State, appearing in Coral Gables on Tuesday after holding a town hall event on Facebook.
With former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas -- who won Iowa in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 -- out of the race, Pawlenty is ramping up his efforts in the Hawkeye State. Besides planning on announcing in Des Moines, Pawlenty unveiled his Iowa team on Friday: Chuck Larson, who served as U.S. ambassador to Latvia; Karen Slifka, who led political efforts in the Midwest for the RNC; Ed Failor, who headed up Iowans for Tax Relief; and Eric Woolson, who managed Huckabees Iowa efforts back in 2008.
Chuck, Karen, Ed and Eric are recognized as being among the best of the best in Iowa, insisted Pawlenty on Friday. Theyre widely respected in Iowa and nationally because they understand the caucus process inside out.
Theyve worked with party activists at the grass-roots level in every county of the state, and theyve had a hand in winning campaigns at every level, added Pawlenty. Their experience and expertise will help us organize conservatives.
All of the new members of Pawlentys team have significant experience in Iowa. Larson served for 14 years in the Iowa Legislature. Besides his work for Iowans for Tax Relief, Failor was on the leadership team that helped George W. Bush carry Iowa over John Kerry in the 2004 general election. A veteran of Iowa politics since her stint with then-U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle in the early 1990s, Slifka also worked for Iowans for Tax Relief and managed the state for John Kasichs short-lived bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000.
Woolson is also an old hand in the Hawkeye State. Besides managing Huckabees bid, Woolson led the efforts of Bob Vander Plaats to win the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Woolson served as communications director to Gov. Terry Brandstad, as a spokesman for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassleys campaign and was state spokesman for George W. Bush who won the caucus back in 2000. He will also serve as state spokesman for Pawlenty.
Pawlenty has made no secret of the fact that he needs to do well in Iowa, which borders his home state of Minnesota. This has led to Pawlentys team increasingly taking aim at a fellow Republican from Minnesota -- U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, who also has her eyes on the nomination.
"Bachmann's going to be a pain in the ass in Iowa," Charlie Weaver, who served as chief of staff under Pawlenty, told Time magazine in a profile that was run on Thursday.
First elected governor in 2002, Pawlenty served two terms. He was on John McCains vice presidential shortlist in 2008 but lost out to then-Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has left the door open to running for the nomination in 2012.
Other candidates already in the race or still considering launching bids include former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, former Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Mayor Rudy Giuliani of New York City, former Gov. George Pataki of New York, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton, former Gov. Gary Johnson of New Mexico, former Gov. Buddy Roemer of Louisiana, businessman Herman Cain, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore of Alabama and activist Fred Karger.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
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