By Rachel E. Stassen-Berger

Campaigns and Elections' Politics magazine has a two-page spread on Republican Governors Association's 26-year-old chair Nick Ayers in which TPaw's name -- and geographic attractiveness -- came up. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was promoted to the RGA's vice chair earlier this year and has traveled the country meeting with folks and making appearances in that role.

Ayes was asked, "Did elevating Gov. Tim Pawlenty to vice chair have something to do with a desire for a non-Southern national figure?"

His answer:

I think maybe geography played into some of it. But it was mostly relational in the sense that all of the Republican governors think very highly of Gov. Pawlenty and his leadership ability. They do think he will bring some geographical diversity too. And with us going on the offense in the Great Lakes—I think we can win Wisconsin and Michigan in 2010—it's great to have a vice chair who has been elected and reelected from that region.