Speculation is building that former Governor Tim Pawlenty, who’s been sending strong signals, will soon officially enter the race for governor. Carleton College analyst Steven Schier says, “A Pawlenty entrance transforms the entire race for governor.” Schier says it will be “very hard for any of the other Republican candidates to get traction.” And he says, “Democrats will find a renewed intensity to the 2018 elections if Tim Pawlenty is in the race.” That’s because Schier says Pawlenty could help Republicans keep their majority in the Minnesota House, meaning they could control not only the legislature but also the governor’s office — something Democrats absolutely do not want.
First District Congressman Tim Walz is front runner among Democratic hopefuls, and Schier says his position remains pretty strong if Pawlenty is in the race: “Tim Walz’s appeal for Democrats is that he might do well outstate as well as in the metro area, and that’s certainly where one has to make inroads into the Republican support outstate, against even a candidate like Tim Pawlenty.” Schier says the more “metro-centric” Democrats’ candidate is, the better chance Pawlenty has of winning the governor’s office.
More in this interview with MNN’s Bill Werner: