A month after abruptly dropping out of the presidential race, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty re-emerged Monday as the new national co-chairman for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.
Despite their earlier differences over health care and the debt ceiling, Pawlenty offered a hearty endorsement of Romney and will become a chief surrogate for the former Massachusetts governor.
"Romney is running for president because he is deeply committed to our country, troubled by its current condition, and I believe he can turn it around," Pawlenty said. Romney said Pawlenty will be a "trusted adviser."
The Democratic National Committee on Monday wasted no time reminding reporters that Pawlenty had spent months bashing Romney and his proposals, even dubbing his health plan, "Obamneycare."
Pawlenty chose Romney not only over the current front-runner, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, but over fellow Minnesotan Michele Bachmann, whose August entry into the race accelerated Pawlenty's departure.
Since his disappointing third-place showing in an Iowa straw poll in mid-August, Pawlenty has kept a low profile, popping up only last week in select television appearances.
Pawlenty's new role will keep him in the national conversation and give him a platform from which to travel to the early-voting states.
"It keeps him as a player and it will probably make it more likely that people will look at him as maybe a potential running mate," said Andy Brehm, a Republican attorney from Minnesota. Brehm was a Pawlenty supporter who recently switched to Romney.
