Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty (R) revealed on WCCO Radio Friday he's been approached by national Republican Party leaders about running for outgoing Senator Tina Smith's seat in 2026.
However, Pawlenty tells WCCO's Chad Hartman his traditional brand of politics doesn't resonate like it used to, and he's not interested. He also points to a major shift in conservative politics.
"So, I just don't think getting through the modern day Republican Party, as somebody who's more of a traditional, you know, Reagan Republican, would be realistic for me," Pawlenty explains.
Pawlenty did run for a third term as governor in in 2018 but lost in the Republican primary. He also made it clear that even if he can get through a Republican primary, he sees a very strong candidate on the left waiting.
"You know, in a world where you could get through a Republican endorsement or primary, which I don't think I could, and then you're not facing Angie Craig, but you're facing Peggy Flanagan? That's a different analysis," said Pawlenty.
Pawlenty telling WCCO's Chad Hartman it's just not the right political climate for him to mount a successful run.
Currently, two Democrats are running for Smith's seat, Minnesota U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan. As of now, there is just one officially declared candidate on the GOP side, former basketball player Royce White, who lost to Amy Klobuchar in 2024.
As for the governor's race, now that two-time incumbent Tim Walz (DFL) is planning to run for a third term, he says it will be a unique type of Republican that can win a statewide race in Minnesota.
"Can you find somebody who's MAGA enough to keep the MAGA people excited and motivated to turn out and vote, and donate and all that stuff, but not so MAGA in terms of substance and tone and style that you scare away soft Republicans, independents, and soft Democrats who you might otherwise be able to attract," Pawlenty told Hartman. "And the reason you need to do that is because in the State of Minnesota statewide, there are not enough Republicans to win an election with just Republicans."
Pawlenty notes that other states that are strongly red don't face the challenges Republicans do in Minnesota with such a heavily-democratic leaning metro area.
"You've got to go out and get a disproportionate amount of independents and even a few Democrats to win, "he says. "That's the secret strike zone. And whether the Republicans can put forward a candidate who fits that description remains to be seen. I hope they can."