Tim Pawlenty’s Taking His Ball And Going Home

Pawlenty Snubs Republican Activists, Forgoes Convention Process

Recent Wall Street lobbyist Tim Pawlenty, who represents the perfect ideal of everything voters are rejecting in the Trump-era, will forgo courting base Republican activists because he is afraid he will lose the convention process.
Someone break out the world’s smallest violin for the candidate who delayed entering the race so he could continue taking paychecks to shill for Wall Street.
It’s all the more galling because Pawlenty vowed “to end his campaign if he loses the endorsement” in 2002.
“The worst thing you can be in Donald Trump’s GOP is a loser, and Tim Pawlenty is snubbing Republican activists to avoid earning the moniker,” said DGA Deputy Communications Director David Turner. “Not one Republican – or Minnesotan for that matter – feels sorry for him. He chose to make millions while shilling for Trumpcare and tax giveaways for the wealthy, rather than entering the race sooner. Whiners aren’t winners, and even Donald Trump knows that.”

• In June 2002, Pawlenty Said He Would “End His Campaign If He Loses [Republican Party] Endorsement.” According to the Star Tribune, “The convention’s big event comes Friday, as delegates choose between businessman Brian Sullivan and House Majority Leader Tim Pawlenty for governor. Each vows to end his campaign if he loses the endorsement.” [Star Tribune, 6/12/02]

• In June 2002, Pawlenty “Promised” He Would “Drop Out” If He Lost Party Endorsement. According to the Associated Press, “The two candidates were scheduled to speak at the convention Friday morning before delegates began voting. If sentiments remain as close as straw polls have indicated, several rounds of voting may be required, stretching into late afternoon or evening. Since late April, Pawlenty and Sullivan each won four straw polls conducted at Republican conventions held in Minnesota’s eight congressional districts. In those eight polls, Sullivan had 1,034 votes overall to Pawlenty’s 987. Each has promised to drop out of the race if the other is endorsed.” [Associated Press, 6/14/02]

• In June 2002, Pawlenty Won Endorsement, Even Though He Did Not Reach Automatic 60% Threshold, After His Opponent Dropped Out to Help Unify GOP. According to the Associated Press, “Tim Pawlenty won the gubernatorial endorsement of the Minnesota Republican Party early Saturday, defeating Brian Sullivan after 12 rounds of voting by 2,200 delegates at the party’s convention. Sullivan conceded after Pawlenty received support from 58 percent of the convention’s delegates in voting that ended about 2:45 a.m. Under party rules, the endorsement would go to the first person to be supported by 60 percent. ‘Let’s get Tim Pawlenty elected the next governor of Minnesota,’ Sullivan said. He then asked the delegates to endorse Pawlenty by acclamation, which they did The motion ended a voting process that began nearly 15 hours earlier. Delegates were evenly split through the day, with neither candidate able to muster more than 53 percent of the vote. [Associated Press, 6/15/02]