With buzz growing that he intends to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota headed to the Sunshine State Tuesday to back GOP candidates in Novembers elections.
While campaigning for Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott, Pawlenty announced that he was endorsing eight congressional candidates. Through his Freedom First PAC, Pawlenty backed incumbent U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and current U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart who is running for the seat currently held by his brother Lincoln.
Pawlenty also backed Steve Southerland, former House Speaker Dan Webster, Allen West and Rep. Sandy Adams of Oviedo, who are all challenging Democratic incumbents. Pawlenty backed former Rep. Dennis Ross for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam, the Republican nominee for state agricultural and consumer services commissioner. The Minnesota governor also backed Rep. David Rivera of Miami for the seat that Diaz-Balart is vacating.
Federal spending is out of control and the only way to stop it is by electing common-sense candidates, said Pawlenty on Tuesday. This fall, Florida voters will send a message that weve had enough. Each of these candidates will work to restore fiscal discipline and the pro-growth policies that America needs. Im proud to endorse them.
Earlier in the year, Pawlenty and the Freedom First PAC endorsed former House Speaker Marco Rubio, the Republican nominee in the U.S. Senate election.
Elected governor in 2002, Pawlenty won praise for balancing the states budget without raising taxes. While Democrats routed Republicans across the nation in the 2006 elections, Pawlenty held on to win a second term by the skin of his teeth -- beating back his challenger by less than 1 percent of the vote.
While Pawlenty made U.S. Sen. John McCains short list to be his running mate in 2008, he is not as well-known as several of his potential rivals in 2012. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee both ran for the presidential nomination in 2008. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin beat out Pawlenty to be McCains running mate and she may run in 2012. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich is also considering running. Other possible candidates include U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former New York Gov. George Pataki, former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton and businessman Herman Cain
Pawlenty is not alone among the possible presidential candidates to reach out to Republicans in Florida. Huckabee, who moved to Florida earlier in the year, has been active backing candidates for state and federal offices in the Sunshine State. So have Romney, Palin, Gingrich, Santorum and Cain.
Despite his low profile, Pawlenty has made trips to key battleground states for the 2012 presidential nomination -- including Iowa, site of the first caucus, and New Hampshire, home of the first primary.
.Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting(850) 727-0859end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
