Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess is next in line at the exit.

As is typical when a governor leaves office, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's key staffers are announcing plans to leave his employ.

Einess Wednesday joined the exiting horde. The governor's office said he would leave on Dec. 3 to "his own government affairs practice."

Last week, Commissioner of Minnesota Management and Budget Tom Hanson said he would leave Dec. 1 to join the lobbying practice at Winthrop & Weinstine. Hanson is leaving the day before the state releases its budget forecast.

The Pawlenty administration has already also announced:

Gopal Khanna, chief information officer for Minnesota, Office of Enterprise Technology, will be leaving his post effective December 15, 2010.

Chris DeLaForest, director of legislative and cabinet affairs, already left Pawlenty's office on Nov. 5.