WASHINGTON -- In the strongest sign yet that he is considering a White House bid, Gov. Tim Pawlenty unveiled a team of political heavy hitters Thursday that has the political world buzzing about the still little-known Minnesota Republican.

Pawlenty's new political action committee, named the Freedom First PAC, is studded with well-known names from the Bush and McCain campaigns, positioning him as a formidable potential challenger to presumptive 2012 Republican front-runner Mitt Romney.

Among the co-chairs is former Minnesota Rep. Vin Weber, a Washington power player who was an early Romney supporter in 2008. Also on board is Morgan Stanley Vice Chairman William Strong, a prominent fundraiser for the campaigns of former President George W. Bush and 2008 GOP nominee Sen. John McCain.

While serving notice to the political establishment of Pawlenty's national ambition, his team insisted Thursday that the PAC's intent is to help like-minded Republicans win state and federal office in 2010.

"Legally and practically, it can't have any focus beyond that," said Minnesota native Alex Conant, a former White House spokesman who is the organization's communications director.

Analysts note that the leadership PAC also is a necessary step for any viable presidential candidate.

"Pawlenty's team screams 'Take me seriously,'" said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "He is sending a message that says, 'I have put a team together that will surprise and impress you, and it's a team that can compete with anybody.' "

'Recycled advisers'

Democrats in Washington also took notice and quickly unveiled their most likely line of attack, accusing Pawlenty of using a group of "recycled advisers" to run for the "George W. Bush presidency."

Pawlenty's team does include a cadre of seasoned Republican operatives, including Phil Musser, a former Romney adviser; Terry Nelson, a top aide in both the Bush and McCain campaigns; and Sara Taylor, a former key aide to Karl Rove who testified during a congressional probe into the Bush administration's firings of U.S. attorneys.

Among Pawlenty's prime gets is PAC counsel Michael Toner, a veteran campaign lawyer who chaired the Federal Election Commission under the George W. Bush administration.

The national political talent will be paired with prominent state business leaders who include TCF Chief Executive Bill Cooper, Marvin Windows President Susan Marvin, and former Target CEO Bob Ulrich.

The local co-chairs, who will hold the PAC's first Minnesota fundraiser in Minneapolis on Nov. 4, include FLS Connect executive Jeff Larson, who operates one of the nation's largest political telemarketing firms from St. Paul. Larson is a longtime political confidant and fundraiser for former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman.

Weber, who maintains his ties to the Romney campaign, said that Minnesota's business community is beginning to coalesce around Pawlenty.

"In Romney and Pawlenty we have excellent candidates," Weber said. "But I don't have to make that decision yet."

Weber, who had close ties to the Bush White House as a Washington lobbyist, said his role in the new PAC will be to help Pawlenty be "as helpful as he can to the Republican Party."

But, Weber added, "I'm not naïve. A lot of people have signed on to this PAC as a way of signing on to 'Pawlenty for President.' There's no question about that."

Weber and others say Pawlenty's chief attractions are his conservative values and the new face he brings to a party that tasted bitter defeat to President Obama last year.

A fresh national alternative

With other Republican hopefuls such as Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee still battered and bruised from that contest, Pawlenty, while untested nationally, can position himself as a fresh alternative who has won elections in a blue state.

Along with the PAC, Pawlenty unveiled a new website Thursday, www.timpaw lenty.com. On it, viewers are invited to "meet T-Paw" and watch a video clip where he speaks in front of a gauzy sky-like background about his modest beginnings in South St. Paul.

Roll-out marred

Conant said Pawlenty plans to make the Internet an important part of his outreach to young people. The site's rollout, however, was marred by a link to a bogus MySpace page created four years ago by Michael Abraham, a University of Minnesota student who once tried to sell the page to Pawlenty's gubernatorial campaign. As of Thursday afternoon, the site still contained insults ("I pray to god you dont run again...") and sexually suggestive comments.

Abraham, a convert to Islam, said he was surprised to learn that his MySpace page had become a part of Pawlenty's website. "I just laughed," he said.

Despite the glitch, which was resolved later in the day, Pawlenty's muscular political organization has put him on the political radar.

"It gets him out early, convinces people he's serious and moves the ball forward," said Washington political analyst Stuart Rothenberg.

But, Rothenberg added, "There are hundreds of political operatives in this town. Ten other presidential candidates could probably put together strong teams with what's left. In the end, it's going to come down to the candidate, and the candidate's fundraising ability."

Staff writer Eric Roper contributed to this report. Kevin Diaz • 202-408-2753