Pawlenty takes another step toward 2012

The Democratic Party trained its sights on a new target today -- Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty -- after bashing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for days.

Pawlenty is preparing to launch a national fund-raising committee, another sign that he is looking at a possible 2012 presidential run.

The Democratic National Committee says that betrays Pawlenty's pledge to finish his term strong. He had earlier announced he would not seek reelection next year.

"Tim Pawlenty is quickly becoming the definition of 'say one thing and do another,' " DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan said in a statement this afternoon. "Today's news about Pawlenty starting a political action committee is just the latest in a series of broken pledges by the Governor - first breaking his pledge to not raise taxes on the people of Minnesota, and now breaking his pledge to finish his term ‘strong’ as Governor. This is just more evidence that Pawlenty is, at best, a part-time Governor who cares more about his national political ambitions than the people of Minnesota."

Alex Conant, a former Republican National Committee spokesman who now is an adviser to Pawlenty, responded to the DNC: "Governor Pawlenty is in the process of starting the 'Freedom First' PAC. I expect it will launch within the next few weeks. When the Governor said he wouldn't seek re-election, he said in addition to finishing his term strong, he would help other Republicans candidates, and obviously a PAC is one key way to do that. In recent weeks, he has spoken to various groups, campaigned with various candidates, and been elected vice-chair of the Republican Governors Association. Starting a PAC is a logistical next step, and one that he has talked about on the record several times."

Creating such a group is typical for presidential hopefuls, including Barack Obama, who started his in 2005.

Pawlenty's "Freedom First" political action committee would be similar to the one that Romney launched last year after dropping out of the GOP nomination fight. Romney's Free & Strong America PAC reported that it had raised $2.3 million for the 2010 election cycle, with about $811,000 in cash as of Aug. 31.

Both Romney and Pawlenty were on Senator John McCain's short list for a vice presidential nominee.