For many months, nearly every time John McCain brought his presidential campaign to Minnesota, Gov. Tim Pawlenty was close by his side.

Not today.

When McCain and running mate Sarah Palin hold a noon rally in Blaine, Pawlenty will be 200 miles away in Nashwauk, on the Iron Range, taking part in a steel plant groundbreaking.

"No one should make any assumptions [about his absence in Blaine]," Pawlenty spokesman Bob Schroeder said. "The governor isn't doing anything but continuing his full-throated support for Sen. McCain."

The groundbreaking date for the Minnesota Steel Industries plant, a $1.6 billion project, has been firm for more than a week, and the McCain event was set only on Sunday, Schroeder said.

"The governor very much wanted to be at the McCain event," Schroeder added. "In the end, he always puts Minnesota first."

In the governor's stead, First Lady Mary Pawlenty will be the emcee at McCain's rally.

From the beginning, Pawlenty has been McCain's highest-profile supporter in Minnesota, and for months was considered to be on the inside track to become the GOP's vice-presidential candidate.

But Alaska's Gov. Palin was chosen instead, and Pawlenty delivered a speech that got no prime-time coverage on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

Pawlenty has continued to stump for McCain since then. He made two cable TV appearances Thursday and plans to travel to Iowa on McCain's behalf this weekend.

Nonetheless, DFLers made hay over Pawlenty's absence in Blaine.

"I can only surmise that with all the bad economic news in Minnesota, Gov. Pawlenty appears to be cutting his losses and maintaining his future political viability by distancing himself from McCain and Palin," said Donna Cassutt, the party's associate chair.

Bob von Sternberg • 612-673-7184