Gov. Tim Pawlenty will head to Texas for a March 6th gala fundraiser for the Dallas County Republican Party.
He must like to cowboy boots -- or maybe the political cash (Texas contributors gave almost $183 million to campaigns in 2008, 62 percent of it to Republicans) -- because the Texas trip will be his third voyage to the Lone Star state since November. He was there this month to raise money for his political action committee and was there for a Republican Governor's Association meeting last year.
Pawlenty has plans to travel to Alabama on next week to speak to Republicans, Missouri on Feb. 26 to speak to that state's Republicans and Louisiana in mid-April for the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. He will also travel to Washington, DC a little early for the National Governor's Association meeting so that he can attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC. The conference starts on Feb. 18 and ends on Feb. 20.
Update:
Minnesotans aren't too wild about the impact Pawlenty's politicking has had on his day job.
A poll from Rasmussen reports this month found:
The plurality (43%) says Pawlenty's potential run for the presidency has had a negative impact on the job he's been doing as governor. Just 22% say it has had a positive impact, while another 26% say it has had no impact.
