If you see Pawlenty as a viable option, how can you not see ... DeMint, Palin, Pence and Ryan (to name several) ... as ‘decent potential candidates’?
Palin has no chance in a general election. The others are certainly more desirable than Pawlenty, but none of them have made any indication that they intend to run. The only potential candidates that have been making the Iowa rounds are Romney, Pawlenty, Gingrich, and Palin. Out of those four, Pawlenty is the more desirable. DeMint would be my first choice right now out of everyone, but he doesn’t appear to be running.