Views: Pup-tent Republican

Wayne Cox of Minnesota Citizens for Tax Justice provides cutting commentary on the end of the Minnesota legislative session.  A taste:

[Sarah] Janacek and [Annette] Meeks say Pawlenty is on his way nationally now.  It may not be a moment too soon for the governor because last week's KSTP poll said 57 percent of Minnesotans do not want him to run for re-election...

This session did cement Pawlenty's reputation as an intransigent movement conservative. But that gold star may not take him very far. Right now, the Republican Party is a party of the South and dominated by evangelicals. Pawlenty has no juice with evangelicals...

If the GOP goes big tent, Pawlenty is even more an outsider. A movement is already afoot to bring the party back toward the center. The Republican U.S. Senate campaign committee is throwing Pawlenty-style Club for Growth U.S. Senate candidates under the bus in states outside the South, places like Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Delaware.

Read more at Minnpost.