Tim Pawlenty To Announce He Will Run In 2012

With Donald Trump, Mike Huckabee and Haley Barbour withdrawing from the 2012 Presidential elections, people are looking to see if other politicians will jump in to fill the vacuum left by the men who will not run. One of those men looking to fill that void is Tim Pawlenty. He was the first 2012 candidate to form an exploratory committee. Next Monday, he will be announcing that he is no longer exploring the idea of running and that he will officially be a candidate for 2012: 

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a laid-back Midwestern Republican who governed a Democratic-leaning state, is running for president and will declare his candidacy on Monday in the leadoff caucus state of Iowa, an adviser told The Associated Press.

The adviser, who disclosed the plans on the condition of anonymity in advance of next week's announcement, said Pawlenty will formally enter the race during a town hall-style event in Des Moines, Iowa.

He's choosing to make his long-expected bid official in a critical state in his path to the GOP nomination. Advisers acknowledge that Pawlenty, 50, must win or turn in a strong showing during next winter's caucuses in the neighboring state of Iowa to have any chance of becoming the Republican who will challenge President Barack Obama, a Democrat, next November.

After Monday's announcement, he will head to Florida, New Hampshire, New York and Washington, D.C.

However, Tim Pawlenty doesn't seem to be really excited about running: 

And when I ask Pawlenty, during a second interview in Des Moines, Iowa, exactly when he decided he was up to the grand challenge of the presidency, he answers in less than grandiose terms, explaining how he'd set up a political-action committee in 2009. I try again, saying I am curious about when he first imagined himself worthy of the history books, ready to send soldiers to their deaths and endure the national stage's harsh toll. "I don't know," he replies. "I wish I had a good answer for you on that." Pawlenty says it is not an idea that crossed his mind 15 or 20 years ago but that as he considered life as a relatively young ex-governor, he felt obliged not to take the easy path and "go make some money and play hockey and drink beer." He adds that he almost didn't run at all. "Mary and I talked about this at length, and many times, and it was a close call," he says, mentioning his wife of 24 years. He adds with a laugh, "It could have gone the other way for all the reasons you're suggesting."

Tim Pawlenty's announcement comes as no surprise. However, the buzz and hype surrounding his planned announcement on Monday will be short lived because he will most certainly be  be upstaged by other Republicans who have not thrown in their hat into the ring yet. We are still waiting to find out if Mitch Daniels, Michelle Bachman and Sarah Palin will run or not. There's also speculation that Texas Govenor Rick Perry is also considering running in this upcoming presidential election. Rudy Giuliani is also thinking about running again for 2012.