By Rachel E. Stassen-Berger

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty's will return to Washington, DC next month -- this time he's going for the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In a letter to emailed to supporters this morning, he said:

The NRSC is committed to electing more Republicans to the Senate to stem this encroachment on our liberties, and that's why I'm pleased to be speaking at their Fall Meeting held in Washington, D.C. November 16th and 17th. I look forward to sharing the message of Freedom First with supporters from across America who are helping us rebuild our conservative ranks in 2010. I support the work of the NRSC, and I hope that you will as well. That is why we will be selecting one individual who makes a contribution of at least $50 to the NRSC between now and November 6th to come to Washington and attend this important event. We'll even pay for your travel expenses. That person will be invited to attend each session of this meeting, including a photo opportunity with me, and will be seated at my table during the Kickoff Luncheon. (h/t blog4president.org) Meanwhile, the governor today waded deeper into the politics of a New York special congressional election by saying that the Republican candidate failed to meet even the "minimum standards" for the party. Yesterday, he endorsed the Conservative candidate over the GOP contender. Question: Would he think that former U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, a moderate Republican, met those standards?

In the Fox interview, Pawlenty largely brushed aside criticism from former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich about the governor's and others' endorsements of the Conservative candidate over the Republican and repeated his government as General Motors theme.