Tim Pawlenty to Announce White House Bid on Monday

Tim Pawlenty will formally announce his candidacy for president on Monday in Iowa, an aide said. The former Minnesota governor has scheduled a town hall in Des Moines at 11:30 a.m. His wife Mary will introduce him.

Pawlenty has been an all-but-declared candidate for months, and has been laying the groundwork for a White House bid ever since he missed out on the chance to be John McCain’s running mate in 2008. He launched his presidential exploratory committee two months ago, and since then has kept a busy schedule of fundraisers and visits to early-voting states.

After the announcement, Pawlenty will travel to Florida, Washington, New Hampshire and New York.

But choosing Iowa for his official announcement is just the latest in a flurry of activity there by Pawlenty, reflecting a high-stakes contest in which he needs to quickly establish himself as a viable contender for the GOP nomination. It will be his fourth trip there since he formed his exploratory committee, and on Tuesday, Pawlenty named former U.S. Attorney Matt Whitaker to chair his Iowa steering committee. He also recently rolled out a robust campaign team in the state, which includes 10 field staffers, a communications director, state director, and political director.

With grassroots conservatives and establishment Republicans wary of the emerging presidential field, Pawlenty could have an opening as the least objectionable candidate.

“I will unite the Republican Party around my optimistic vision,” he said in announcing his exploratory committee in March. “We need to make the tough decisions to reform and renew the American dream. I am looking forward to making my case.”

{Capitol News Company, LLC/Matzav.com}