Pawlenty elected vice chairman of national governors association

08/07/2006

BY BILL SALISBURY
Pioneer Press

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was elected today vice chairman of the National Governors Association, a post that puts him in line to become chairman of the organization in August 2007 — if he is re-elected in November.

In a conference call with Minnesota reporters from Charleston, S.C., where the governors were holding their annual summer meeting, Pawlenty called the association one of the most influential organizations in the country in driving national policy changes.

“I’m very excited about it from a public policy standpoint, being able change and improve public policy to better serve our citizens,” he said.

Pawlenty would get a lot of national attention while serving as the leading spokesman for the governors. Some previous governors have used the chairmanship to launch presidential campaigns while others have landed cabinet offices in Washington.

Asked if that’s what he has in mind, Pawlenty replied, “I am not thinking about running for president or becoming a cabinet member.”