by Mark Silva
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty may be packing up the governor's office next year, but he is opening up a national PAC, potentially positioning for a 2012 presidential bid.
The retiring Republicans' "Freedom First" political action committee will be created in the next few weeks, Pawlenty adviser Alex Conant told the Associated Press today, calling it a logical step for a governor who has been giving speeches and campaigning for Republicans around the country -- and has said he is considering running in '12.
"I haven't ruled anything in or out. I'm not focused on 2012," Pawlenty told the AP. "The formation of this PAC under law and as a practical matter is geared toward supporting and helping other candidates. It's not geared or designed, nor can it be, a vehicle for me to run for something else."
These committees cannot support a presidential campaign, but they can allow politicians to build fundraising networks and generate goodwill among officeholders and candidates who are the beneficiaries of donations from the PAC.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has his Huck PAC, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has her SarahPAC and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney his Free and Strong America PAC. Pretty soon, the party might have a six-PAC field.
Comments
Wow, what a bunch of snivling losers.
I hope the Repugs are dumb enough to nominate Pawlenty in 2012.
"Few public figures, however, are stating what most Minnesotans know: in each of the past two legislative sessions, Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed a transportation bill that would have provided funding for road and bridge repair and construction as well as funding for mass transit. Pawlenty vetoed the bills, in part, because he would not support an increase in the state’s gas tax to fund state transportation needs — even though the tax hasn’t been raised in almost 20 years.
(Pawlenty, by the way, also has cut Local Government Aid to the state’s counties and cities, resulting in cuts to police, fire, public works and transit — all now the agencies responding to yesterday’s disaster).
Even if the NTSB investigation holds the Pawlenty administration faultless for the collapse of the I-35W bridge, Pawlenty surely must be held accountable for the state’s lack of investment in transportation. That lack of investment now impacts the region’s ability to cope with the loss of the I-35W bridge."
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http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_3206
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Posted by: BigCheese | September 22, 2009 4:43 PM
We don't need any of that socialist bridge building nonsense! Let the free market handle it. Deregulate and privatize our transportation infrastructure and so that we can all live like free men , as our founders intended! The interstates are tyranny, and those who drive on them are slaves!
Posted by: The Voice of the Libertarian Fringe | September 23, 2009 11:11 AM
Recession? What "recession"?
A lot of people have a lot of money to throw around to politicians. And if you think Rod Blagojevich was the only one kicking back favors, you're just goofy.
But the truth is that the politicians get to keep these war chest chips or to dispose of them as they see fit. Imagine "retiring" to lobbyist statehood and having chips to handout to future government (yes, Republicans ARE in that god-awful word, "government") officeholders.
The revolving door keeps spinning.
Posted by: Tell the Truth | September 23, 2009 3:29 PM