In less than a month, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has raised $32,500 in Iowa — where the first presidential caucuses are held — from three of his major contributors, according to state campaign filings released today.
The three donors, including Wheelock Whitney, who helped bring the Minnesota Twins to the Twin Cities, have all given Pawlenty's national Freedom First political action committee the maximum $5,000 per calendar year.
But Iowa has no individual contribution limits, and Pawlenty received an additional $20,000 contribution there from major Minnesota donor Timothy Owens, $10,000 from Californian Gregory Wendt, who has historically donated to both Republicans and Democrats, and $2,500 from Whitney.
Pawlenty created his Iowa state PAC last month as a way for him to contribute to candidates there, helping him tap into the political network in one of the most important states to winning a presidential nomination.
Pawlenty has yet to give to any candidates in Iowa. But the PAC was up and running for less than a month before the first filing deadline, and Pawlenty's spokesman Alex Conant said the Minnesota governor will travel to the state in a few weeks.
"This is a brand new effort aimed at helping elect more local conservatives in Iowa this fall," Conant said. "We're optimistic that we can build on the early energy and great opportunity."
Last week, Pawlenty released his second quarter federal fundraising numbers of $723,500, putting him behind just Sarah Palin's $865,000 and Mitt Romney's $1.8 million among potential 2012 Republican presidential hopefuls.
Pawlenty has also created a state PAC in New Hampshire, where the first presidential primary is held following Iowa's caucuses. New Hampshire's next campaign filing deadline is August 19.
