One step closer to candidate Pawlenty

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty took a giant step toward a White House run Monday when he announced formation of a presidential exploratory committee.

"At a young age, I saw up close the face of challenge, the face of hardship, and the face of job loss," the Republican said in a slick video announcement. "I know many Americans are feeling that way today. I know that feeling. I lived it."

Pawlenty made his pitch through Facebook and a nearly two-minute video that showcased his South St. Paul upbringing, his love of hockey and belief in "limited government." He mentioned Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln and highlighted multiple images of the American flag and members of the military.

"Join the team and together, we'll restore America," said Pawlenty, accompanied by a background of rousing music, cheers and fireworks.

Pawlenty, 50, has spent the past 18 months meticulously building his presidential base, starting while he was still governor. He has wooed top national operatives, built a cadre of fundraisers and spoken to groups nationwide, including frequent stops in early-voting Iowa and New Hampshire. He's been criticized for a lack of sizzle and has yet to break out of single digits in polls but is still widely considered a top-tier potential candidate.

"He's one of only a few serious prospects in the Republican Party," said Bruce Buchanan, a presidential scholar at the University of Texas. "He has to be taken seriously."

The former state legislator and two-term governor is among the first major candidates to announce their intentions to seek the Republican nomination. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich announced this month that he was "testing the waters" for a presidential run.

Pawlenty's new Minneapolis-based committee will allow him to start raising money for a national bid.

The former governor is a solid, if not stellar, fundraiser, taking in $2.1 million in 2010 through his federal Freedom First political action committee. He also raised $380,000 through Iowa and New Hampshire state committees. His fundraising haul put him behind likely rivals former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who raised $4.7 million in 2010, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who raised $3.6 million.

In his first fundraising pitch for the new committee, Pawlenty downplayed his reach: "Many of my likely primary opponents have run for national office before and are already household names."

Several supporters said Pawlenty's below-the-radar campaign is poised to catch fire.

"Tim is broadly accepted in the Republican Party," said former Republican U.S. Rep. Vin Weber, who worked with Romney in 2008 and plans to oversee policy development for Pawlenty's campaign. Weber and other political strategists say Pawlenty's bottom-dwelling poll numbers are not concerning -- yet.

"That's not what he's been doing the last 18 months. He's been identifying people, fundraising and building a network," said Weber.

Pawlenty, they say, has systematically built support and been upfront about his intentions.

"Join Tim Pawlenty for his first live event as a candidate," said his website, TimPawlenty.com, on Monday, inviting viewers to a tele-town hall.

Republicans close to Pawlenty expect him to formally jump into the race shortly, perhaps in a few weeks.

Campaign watchers are waiting to see if Pawlenty can ratchet up the charisma, a trait served in large helpings by other potential rivals, including Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.

"People want to see that spark, they want to see that passion, and that's not really his style," said Tim Hagle, a political scientist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

Pawlenty has tried to polish his political reputation as a shrewd budget hawk who was able to dial back government spending. Democrats back home, however, say Pawlenty omits a crucial detail: He left the state in January facing a $6.2 billion deficit.

"He failed those he was supposed to represent," said DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin. "Tim Pawlenty left our state facing the largest deficit in Minnesota's 152-year history, drove up property taxes and fees on middle-class families and small businesses alike, all while making draconian cuts to education that forced some schools into four-day weeks."

Baird Helgeson • 651-222-1288 Jeremy Herb • 202-408-2723