March of the Governors: Tim Pawlenty

Tim Pawlenty grew up in a family of South St. Paul Democrats but embraced Republicanism as a teenager. He was a hard worker and excellent student in public schools and at the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Law School. He was hired by a prestigious Minneapolis law firm before getting into politics. At age thirty-two, Pawlenty was a member of the state legislature, where he quickly rose to positions of authority. He served as House majority leader when Jesse Ventura was governor. He then succeeded Ventura as Minnesota governor in a close three-way race in 2002. In office (2003-2011), Pawlenty faced large budget deficits thanks to hard economic times and strong DFL opposition in the legislature. He also made a no-new-taxes pledge that restricted his flexibility. He did succeed in slowing the rate of government growth and presided over some legislation and initiatives that have proved enduring.