Tim Pawlenty announced his official entrance into the 2012 horse race today, with the message of telling the truth about the challenges we face as a country and what it will take to solve them. He gave a fairly bold speech, proposing to an Iowa crowd the cutting of ethanol subsidies. According to Pawlenty, “The hard truth is that there are no longer any sacred programs.” He is right, and with Mitch Daniels, Paul Ryan, Mike Huckabee, and (likely) Chris Christie not in the race as viable candidates, and with Romneycare causing concerns for conservatives, should conservatives turn to Pawlenty?
His name recognition is growing, but Pawlenty’s record might not be as well-known as the other front-runner, Romney. This might be to Pawlenty’s advantage, as he may have the opportunity to frame his career more effectively than Romney and some others can frame theirs. Pawlenty summarized his achievements today as the former governor of a blue state:
In Minnesota, I cut taxes, cut spending, instituted health care choice and performance pay for teachers, reformed our union benefits, and appointed constitutional conservatives to the Supreme Court. That is how you lead a liberal state in a conservative direction.
Pawlenty has also announced that he will propose a budget with bold entitlement reforms, has hit the right notes on national security, and has a background that social conservatives might connect with. In other words, T-Paw might be able to connect with all three legs of the conservative stool. Perhaps it’s time for conservatives to give Tim Pawlenty a look. I don’t think many conservatives will find much not to like about his record.
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