Pawlenty Attracts Wealthy Donors

Wall Street Journal ^ | 5/13/2011 | PATRICK O'CONNOR

[iowamark]

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty remains little-known beyond his home state, but he has begun to line up wealthy donors, a critical constituency.

Even as he draws low single-digit support in early polls, Mr. Pawlenty has amassed a substantial roster of well-connected GOP donors and fund-raisers in his quest for the Republican presidential nomination.

Their preference for Mr. Pawlenty could pose a challenge to his GOP rival, Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who has used experience as a 2008 candidate and background as a private-equity investor to build what is widely regarded as the largest network of high-impact fund-raisers in the 2012 contest. It also illustrates the ambivalence among elite GOP donors over which Republican is best suited to face President Barack Obama next year.

Mr. Pawlenty's backers include Bob Perry, the Texas home builder who gave more money than any GOP donor to conservative groups like American Crossroads, which spent heavily in the 2010 election, and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which was active in the 2004 campaign. In 2008, Mr. Perry supported Mr. Romney.

Ray Washburne, a Texas real-estate developer and restaurateur who raised money for former President George W. Bush, is backing Mr. Pawlenty because "he's got a great story to tell."...

Pawlenty and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman appear to have emerged as Mr. Romney's top rivals for the set of top GOP fund-raisers known as "bundlers.''

Mr. Pawlenty has had early luck with Bush-family benefactors, including Massachusetts real-estate investor Chris Egan and Phil Handy, a Florida businessman who was chairman or co-chairman on all three of Jeb Bush's Florida gubernatorial bids...

[MplsSteve]

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[napscoordinator]

The problem with Pawlenty is that I completely forgot he is running. He is not somebody that I think about when I contemplate 2012. Sarah must run or we are in a hurt locker. Pawlenty is probably a good guy overall but would not even get 2 percent of the excitement that Sarah would get.

[iowamark]

I saw Pawlenty speak today. Looks good. He was a pretty slick speaker. Too slick, if you know what I mean.

[antceecee]

"Pawlenty Attracts Wealthy Donors"

Quel Suprise!!!!!

[antceecee]

So slick you needed two showers after he spoke????

[dagogo redux]

I saw him in the debate. My impressions:

1. Slick. Polished. Predictable.
2. Repeated to my wife over and over again, “Sure sounds like a politician”.
3. I found that I spent the entire time he spoke each time humorously mimicking his standard-issue, overly-practiced, “I'm a politician” hand gestures.
4. Sounded “good,” but didn't “look” Presidential.
5. A lightweight.

[antceecee]

Pretty much what I thought... nice guy... but no thanks. The only way he would get my vote is in the main election and if his opponent was Obama. He would not get my support in the primary.

[Plutarch]

Polls often pit the incumbent against a generic Republican.

That's Pawlenty.

Of course, a generic Republican might be what is needed to defeat Obama.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Tim has Pawlenty of cash!

[Wonder Warthog]

If the “big money” is supporting Pawlenty, that is a pretty good indication of likely RINO-hood on his part. I guess there are a “few” so-called “big-money” conservatives, but I think far more of them belong to the “country club(RINO)” wing of the ‘Pubbie Party.

[Aevery_Freeman]

Supported by the checked-pant Republicans, huh.   Man, I hate those guys.

These are not the days for a "M^cPresident."

He was our Governor, does it look like he did a good job? We now have "the worst Senator ever" as Governor.

[Rudder]

I think I’ve heard of Pawlenty, but I don’t know why.

[MontaniSemperLiberi]

Thanks for posting this. I have been wondering about it.

“Mr. Pawlenty has had early luck with Bush-family benefactors....” “American Cross Roads....”

Interesting. The Bush / Rove axis is laying some substantial bets on Pawlenty. I’m not sure if that is a good thing.

[SharpRightTurn]

““Mr. Pawlenty has had early luck with Bush-family benefactors....” “American Cross Roads....” Interesting. The Bush / Rove axis is laying some substantial bets on Pawlenty. I’m not sure if that is a good thing.”

Bush/Rove axis—most assuredly NOT a good thing.

Bush/Dole/Bush/McCain/Pawlenty.

Will 2012 be yet another Republican selection disaster?

[TomGuy]

If Pawlenty is cutting into donor funds and support Romney would otherwise get, it is a win-win for us and a lose-lose for those two, maybe.

Rumors are that Huckabee may announce today that he is NOT running. That could clear a past for a more staunch conservative.

Trump seems to have trumped himself out of contention.

Gingrich is still Gingrich and the MSM are sorting though his trainload of baggage.

Daniels still hasn’t gotten his wife’s permission to run.

Some are starting to push for Fred Thompson — that’s how lackluster the GOP list is at present.

[Malesherbes]

I will vote for Elmer Fudd to get BO out of the White House.

[newzjunkey]

Pawlenty and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman appear to have emerged as Mr. Romney's top rivals for the set of top GOP fund-raisers known as "bundlers.''

But! But! Everyone was saying Daniels was the establishment candidate!

[jpsb]

"Bush/Rove axis—most assuredly NOT a good thing."

I saw him on TV the other day and he sounded acceptable, but if Bush-Rove are backing him then I want no part of him. Enough of the establishment GOP, I want someone they don't want.

[WorkingClassFilth]

Timmy is attracting money people (RINO’s) because Timmy is a standard issue Pubbie with a blind eye towards conservative social issues, prone to accommodating disastrous bipartisanship and the usual philosophy about ‘fiscal conservatism’ (like you can hold these notions simultaneously without going Left). IOW, not acceptable for conservatives concerned about the country and the flood of Bolsheviks that are infesting our government and nation. Timmy would be prone to ‘work with our friends on the left’ rather than storm the barricades and really get to the core of our national ills.

Granted, he held the budget line in MN, but that's not sayin’ much since our budgets are bloated beyond belief and our Leftist stronghold government remains intact and operational. Besides doing nothing to reverse the status quo, he actually believes and pushes the global warming agenda and, as such, he's a dupe for the greatest power-grabbing scam in the history of the world.

I predict - if Timmy or any mushbag candidate other than a stone cold conservative patriot gets the nomination, BO will take a second term and, likely, we'll lose our national sovereignty and the basis of our Republic.

Now, should y'all think this is all just a whine, let me tell you that I was a delegate that actually voted for Timmy's nomination to the Governorship. Against my better notions, I decided to be pragmatic (W.F.Buckley's dictum: rightward-most, electable candidate) and tossed off a better choice in Brian Sullivan. Never again.

After nearly 40 years of political activity and concern, GWB finally freed me to vote my conscience - win or lose be damned. Since we are locked in a death-struggle for our nation and four decades of Republican candidates and leadership haven't yielded aggressive correctives, I will vote for Americans only - that is, those who love, honor and cherish what it means to be American in light of our founding documents and the writings of our Founders.

Tim Pawlenty is not this kind of man.

Period.