Republicans have not won a statewide race in Minnesota since 2006, and the winner of that race, former two-term Gov. Tim Pawlenty, says he will not run for the Senate this year, “dashing Republican hopes that he would mount a strong bid for Al Franken’s old seat,” said the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Franken’s successor, Democrat Tina Smith, appointed a week ago to the Senate Agriculture Committee, is a candidate in this fall’s election to complete the six-year term.
Pawlenty is the latest of a handful of prominent Republicans to decide against a run. State Sen. Karin Housley is the only announced GOP candidate. “The GOP leadership and party donors have been scrambling for a high-profile candidate to jump into the race to replace Franken, who resigned earlier this month amid accusations that he had harassed multiple women,” said the Minneapolis newspaper.
During an interview on the Fox Business channel, Pawlenty acknowledged that he had thought about running but that there was little time to assemble a statewide campaign in a political atmosphere that favors Democrats. “It’s going to be a very competitive race in a tough state for Republicans,” said Pawlenty.
Smith, who was lieutenant governor prior to being appointed senator, will be on the general election ballot with popular Sen. Amy Klobuchar, also a Democrat. “The same party tends to win both seats in a double-barrel Senate election,” said the political analysis site Sabato’s Crystal Ball in late December.