With former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty in the 2012 race and Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann gearing up for her own presidential run, polling data released today indicate that the pair’s home state constituents are less-than-supportive of their Oval Office aspirations.
Wednesday, Public Policy Polling reported that just 28 percent of Minnesota voters think Pawlenty should make a go at the White House. The picture is more bleak for Bachmann, who only has support from 14 percent of Minnesota voters.
According to the poll, 45 percent of Minnesotans think Pawlenty should stop running for elected office, 47 percent think the same of Bachmann.
Of the Republicans polled, 57 percent thought Pawlenty should run for president. Just 26 percent thought Bachmann should toss her hat into the ring.
Pawlenty has long been considered one of the front-runners to get the Republican nomination, but has lately been polling well below the top of the field — trailing challengers such as Herman Cain, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich.
Unlike Pawlenty, Tea Party darling Bachmann has yet to announce her candidacy, but has indicated that she will announce her intentions for 2012 this month in Iowa.
A poll from Survey/USA released Tuesday showed that both Pawlenty and Bachmann would lose to President Barack Obama.