Continuing the fallout from the Mark Sanford incident, the Republican Governors Association has appointed T-Paw vice chairman, succeeding now-chairman Haley Barbour. From Politico:
A two-term governor who is not seeking reelection next year, Pawlenty can use the RGA perch to develop relationships with governors, candidates, donors and party activists. Advisers to Pawlenty indicate he’ll also eventually open a political action committee, the traditional favor-dispensing outlet used by White House
prospects.
Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was the RGA’s vice chairman, but took over the organization when South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford stepped down in the wake of his admission of an extramarital affair. The decision to elect Pawlenty as vice chairman was made earlier this month by GOP governors at the National Governors Association conference.
“The RGA now has the best political strategist in our party’s history working with one of the GOP’s brightest stars to compete in 39 governors races over the next 17 months,” said Nick Ayers, the group’s executive director.
GOP strategists are hopeful that the elevation of Pawlenty will provide more exposure to a prominent non-Southern face in a party increasingly dominated by elected officials from Dixie.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Good for Pawlenty.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Good for him, but he will not be our nominee in 2012.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Pawlenty needs this as the establishment candidates are going to be heavily funded by the elite.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Doug,
You don’t think Pawlenty is an “establishment” candidate?
July 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Why on earth has he been appointed when he is on the way out?
At least when Willard was the head he was considering running again.
This is unfair!
July 27th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
I like Pawlenty, and if Huckabee does not run, I would work for Pawlenty’s campaign.
While he may not be a rock star and get everyone excited, by the time 2011 rolls around, our country will be looking for someone who is not a rock star.
July 27th, 2009 at 11:03 pm
I find it interesting that the Chairman of the RGA is Haley Barbour (a possible contender in 2012) and the vice-Chairman is Tim Pawlenty (another possible contender in 2012).
We’ll see if the RGA hierarchy goes after the IA and NH Governorships in 2010…
July 27th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
T-Paw is one of the best reps we have and he is getting better at the 30 second sound bites…great choice!
July 27th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
#4 Certainly not yet. If he wins too much elite support I’d be a little worried about his general election prospects.
July 27th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
He won’t be around much longer.
This is clearly a move to give him some connections for his inevitable 2012 run.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:05 am
If Tpaw can’t hold the statehouse for the MN GOP in 2010, then this is pointless. He’s still Barbour’s B!tch.
July 28th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Rothenberg’s most recent governor rankings:
Lean Takeover (4 R, 5 D)
CA Open (Schwarzenegger, R)
FL Open (Crist, R)
HI Open (Lingle, R)
RI Open (Carcieri, R)
KS Open (Parkinson, D)
Corzine (D-NJ) *
OK Open (Henry, D)
TN Open (Bredesen, D)
WY Open (Freudenthal, D)
Toss-Up (3 R, 3 D)
Brewer (R-AZ)
Gibbons (R-NV)
MN Open (Pawlenty, R)
MI Open (Granholm, D)
PA Open (Rendell, D)
VA Open (Kaine, D)
Narrow Advantage for Incumbent Party (2 R, 2 D)
Douglas (R-VT)
GA Open (Perdue, R)
Doyle (D-WI)
Strickland (D-OH) *
Clear Advantage for Incumbent Party (5 R, 7 D)
Herbert (R-UT)
Rell (R-CT)
AL Open (Riley, R)
SC Open (Sanford, R)
SD Open (Rounds, R) *
Culver (D-IA) *
Quinn (D-IL)
Paterson (D-NY)
Patrick (D-MA) *
Ritter (D-CO)
ME Open (Baldacci, D)
NM Open (Richardson, D) #
Currently Safe (4 R, 4 D)
Heineman (R-NE)
Otter (R-ID)
Parnell (R-AK)
Perry (R-TX)
Beebe (D-AR)
Lynch (D-NH)
O’Malley (D-MD)
OR Open (Kulongoski, D)
July 28th, 2009 at 12:50 am
#12, how is rgw Nevada Governorship in any way a toss up? Even while assuming that Gibbons will lose the nomination (which he certainly will), it’s lean takeover at least.
July 28th, 2009 at 1:05 am
FL is a toss-up. Alex Sink may have raised more money than Bill McCollum, but Bill is leading in almost every poll. That, combined with our states habit of electing Republicans at the state level all balance out to make our gubernatorial race a true toss-up.
July 28th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Jon,
Rothenberg leans left in his predictions.
Cook on the other hand gives too much weight to the incumbent.
July 28th, 2009 at 1:42 am
Ritter is a “clear advantage”? The latest poll I know from PPP in April 23 shows him trialing GOP McInnis 48-41. http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/PPP_Release_CO_423.pdf
Patrick too? Michigan is a toss-up? Crack-pipe all around. The Recession is Over!
July 28th, 2009 at 4:31 am
Memo
From: Heath
To: Kristopher
Subject: Editing
Kris,
I see you have been up to your old tricks editing people’s posts again.
As I said a couple of weeks ago you have no right to edit anyone’s posts (if you do have this right I and many others will stop posting). Delete if you must. But do not ever edit anyone’s posts ever again. It’s absolutely gutter-like behaviour and the poorest forum form around. You are a lot of things but you are not stupid so I’m sure you must realise this.
Whilst I’m at it it is clear that many posters are using multiple alias’ (eg anon). This too should be stopped – it can’t be that hard to see who is using multiple alias’ from the same ip address.
July 28th, 2009 at 6:06 am
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
When is the vice chairman of the RGA a stepping stone? Okay, I expect T-Paw to run, but not get the nomination, but possibly setting him up for a future run. As has been showed in the past, its very hard to make a run at the nomination and make it the first time. I see T-Paw as a potential VP pick for Romney.
July 28th, 2009 at 6:08 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCdqRbWYWbU&feature=player_embedded
July 28th, 2009 at 9:11 am
With every percentage point Pawlenty chisels away from Romney, it won’t be long before the Rombots start bashing him…I’m surprised it hasn’t started already.
July 28th, 2009 at 10:30 am
20 jersey
Not quite that cut-and-dry. T-Paw is an evangelical and reliable SoCon, without Mitt’s perceived flipper issues. He’s also known as more socially than economically conservative (a la Huck), though he’s certainly trying to address that (see his reversal on cap-and-trade and budget victory over his state’s legislature).
His affable personality is more in line with Huck’s than it is with a technocrat like Mitt.
I don’t think it’s predictable which 2008 candidate would get hurt the most if Pawlenty runs strong.
July 28th, 2009 at 10:50 am
I don’t know why you are surprised that the bashing hasn’t happened yet. You need to wait until the chiseling begins.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:02 am
jersey, once again you jump to an irrational conclusion. If Pawlenty surpasses Romney in support then it is likely that I am one of his supporters.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:17 am
20 – if that happens, it will probably have more to do with Pawlenty already taking shots at Romney 3 years out.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Good points, Fredo — I agree that we don’t know who Pawlenty will hurt most.
I’m also not sure how big a deal being vice-chair of the RGA is in terms of assisting a presidential run. I suppose it’s in the “can’t hurt, might help” category. What little meaning it has, I suppose, is that it’s an indicator that his colleagues think highly of him and are prepared to help him — if true, that (more than the position itself) might be a bigger deal down the road.
July 28th, 2009 at 11:38 am
Coleman Considering Running For Governor In 2010
http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7015925096?Coleman%20Considering%20Running%20For%20Governor%20In%202010
July 28th, 2009 at 11:39 am
POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Bachmann flexes fiscal muscle
http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/60657/group/News/
July 28th, 2009 at 11:40 am
Sanford’s Loss: Some Other White Dude’s Gain
http://www.fitsnews.com/2009/07/27/sanfords-loss-some-other-white-dudes-gain/
July 28th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I consider Pawlenty the only guy we have other than Romney who can win in 2012….at least in the current environment. By 2012 we might be able to elect anybody we put up, but right now we can’t assume that. Therefore, this is a very good move for the party, and certainly for Pawlenty himself. Also, Pawlenty is one of the only guys we might nominate who I would trust to run the country, although any Republican would be better than Obama. That’s a given.