Pawlenty Moves Up in GOP Governors Association
In his new role, Pawlenty will seek out support from Republican donors and party activists on behalf of the 39 Republican gubernatorial candidates who will be running for office this year and in 2010. Pawlenty said he will stress fiscal conservatism in the upcoming races.
"Winning these races is key to rebuilding the GOP and strengthening our economy," he said. "We have a tremendous opportunity to transform the political map."
RGA Chairman Haley Barbour highlighted Pawlenty's tenure as a Republican governor outside of the South.
"Governor Pawlenty has been a leader in the effort to grow the Republican Party beyond our traditional base while remaining true to our principles," Barbour said in a statement. "His firsthand knowledge of how to win in a so-called purple state will be a major asset to the RGA."
Barbour, the governor of Mississippi, assumed the chairmanship after South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford resigned from the post when he admitted to an extra-marital affair.
Pawlenty's new role stands in contrast to the trajectory of Sarah Palin, another prominent Republican who has been pegged over the past year as a potential leader in the party. Her image still graces the banner of the RGA's online introductory page, TheGOPComeback.com, even though she resigned as governor of Alaska yesterday. Palin's role in the party remains unclear at this point, especially considering only 23 percent of Americans held a favorable view of her in the recent CBS News survey. However, it should also be noted that 39 percent of Americans said they have yet to form an opinion about her in the poll.
