Next up for Pawlenty: Florida

Associated Press

Last update: November 9, 2009 - 4:30 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. - For Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, it's goodbye farm fields, hello palm trees.

Less than a week after a highly anticipated speech to Iowa Republicans, Pawlenty makes his way this week to Florida. He's scheduled to speak Friday to The Forum Club of Southwest Florida.

The Naples event keeps up a hectic travel pace for Pawlenty, who has spent plenty of time on the road since ruling out a bid for a third term.

The club heard last Friday from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who like Pawlenty is seen as a potential 2012 presidential candidate.

According to the club's Web site, the group's members take pride in hearing from people "before they become household names."

Former Minnesota Sen. David Durenberger spoke there in March.

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