Conservatives Say Pawlenty Is Potential Presidential Candidate

Signs of Presidential Aspirations

At Bush's inauguration, a who's who of conservative media commentators, including the Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes and Pulitzer-Prize winner Charles Krauthammer, wanted to meet with Pawlenty.

He addressed a meeting of the influential Club for Growth in New York and spoke to conservative insiders at anti-tax activist Grover Norquist's Wednesday group in Washington. Both appearances won rave reviews.

And he has impressed conservatives of all stripes with his ability to frame his agenda and sell it to Minnesota voters.

An Established Political Talent

He wins over audiences with his quick wit -- often self-deprecating -- his humble personal style and his ability to speak at length without notes.

Admirers compare Pawlenty to respected Republicans. "He has a sense of where he wants to lead the country, just like President Reagan," said one top Minnesota Republican.

Democrats have compared his speaking skills and ability to frame issues to Bill Clinton's and his political legacy has been compared to Hubert Humphrey -- one Republican said Pawlenty could be for state Republicans what Humphrey was for state Democrats.

"He has demonstrated that he is solution-oriented," said Weyrich, whose guidance could influence some conservative voters in 2008. "When a problem is presented to him, he doesn't just say, well, this is my deal and you can take it or leave it. He really looks for constructive ways that he can compromise without giving away his principles."

Pawlenty will almost certainly run for re-election in 2006 and has begun to raise money at an expeditious clip. There is also speculation he may run for Democratic Sen. Mark Dayton's seat. Dayton has decided not to seek re-election.

Decisions Emphasize Conservative Beliefs

The son of a truck driver, Pawlenty grew up in an average-income home in South St. Paul. He graduated from the University of Minnesota for college and law school. He became a city prosecutor, member of the Eagan City Council and later served as the majority leader in the Statehouse.

Since winning a hard-fought race for governor in 2002, Pawlenty has reduced the state's budget deficit, which was one of the largest in the country, largely by cutting the rate of spending growth.

His current political priorities are reflected in his latest budget, which he presented last month to the Legislature. At a time when most governors are faced with the prospect of significantly reducing spending or raising taxes, Pawlenty was able to write a blueprint that grows the state government. Democrats accuse Pawlenty of postponing difficult budget decisions by fiscal smoke and mirrors.

Critics argue that he is shifting the burden of taxation from state to local government.

"He's compiling a legacy of chronically unbalanced budgets and a failure of leadership," said Bill Amberg, a spokesman for state Democrats.

Pawlenty has earned praise from some Democrats for supporting a program designed to allow Minnesotans to buy prescription drugs from Canada and for working to improve the state's ability to purchase cheaper drugs for Medicare recipients.

There is at least one departure from conservative orthodoxy in this new budget -- support for profit-sharing between casinos operated by American Indian tribes and the state government -- and his help in brokering a potential agreement to build a new casino near Minneapolis and St. Paul.

"That would be one area when we part company with him," said Tom Prichard, an ally of Pawlenty and president of the conservative Minnesota Family Institute.