Tim Pawlenty = Mitt Romney 2.0
Dan Balz on the similarities between Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty: Still, there is something Romneyesque in all this. Four years ago, Romney lurched to the right in preparation for his presidential candidacy. He did it on social issues, where his prior support for abortion and gay rights left him vulnerable on his right flank. Pawlenty has a consistent record of opposition to abortion and gay marriage. In his case, he appears to be catering to the conservative, populist anger on the right, which is challenging the party establishment and attacking Obama in sometimes extreme language.
Mitt Romney could have been the GOP candidate last year -- but the social issues (and his positions on them) destroyed his credibility and ultimately his campaign. Because he was viewed as a 'flip-flopper', people were hesitant to trust what he was saying. Will Pawlenty suffer a similar fate?
The real risk for Pawlenty, as Romney learned in his unsuccessful 2008 campaign, is losing his true voice and his authenticity. Romney spent so much time trying to reposition himself and picking narrow tactical fights with his rivals that the qualities that might have made him a more attractive candidate were lost in the smoke. But once a candidate starts down that road, it can be hard to pull back.
Mitt Romney still has a large throng of backers, but Pawlenty could start to chip away at that support...
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