Don’t count Tim Pawlenty out, Iowa Democrats certainly haven’t.
The Iowa Democrat Party released a video today attacking the Republican presidential candidate for his record in Minnesota. “In The Ditch,” hits Pawlenty for his record as governor, saying he left Minnesota with the “largest budget deficit in its history,” and raised taxes for 90 percent of the state’s residents. (Pawlenty declines to sign Family Leader Marriage Pledge, promotes ‘faith’ video)
The minute-long video plays off Pawlenty’s “Road to Results” tour, which kicks off
this week. Pawlenty is set to drive over 500 miles across Iowa in an RV. As the video ends, it mocking warns, “If he can do it there, he can do it anywhere.”
Pawlenty has taken a very traditional approach, focusing on Iowa in order to give his campaign a much-needed boost. While others like Mitt Romney and John Huntsman have all but skipped over the first-in-nation primary state, Pawlenty has invested more for advertising in Iowa than any candidate. In a most recent Quinnipiac University poll, support for Pawlenty floats around 3 percent. The former Minnesota Governor is aiming to come out on top of the Iowa straw poll in Ames on Aug. 13 but faces stiff competition from other challenges. Ron Paul, who’s kicked up his efforts in the Hawkeye State, recently hit 14 percent in the polls — just behind Mitt Romney.* And after campaigning quickly but heavily in Iowa, Rep. Michele Bachmann is now expected to win the straw poll.
Democrats, however, aren’t ignoring Pawlenty. Early this month, the Democratic National Committee’s Rapid Response team sent out its own”fact check” press release last in response to Pawlenty’s Iowa ad, the first ad of any Republican candidate. The IDP has also been sending out regular email blasts attacking Pawlenty’s record and comments in Iowa.
“Pawlenty, despite his poor polling numbers, is putting a lot of time and money into the state,” an IDP official told The Daily Caller. “So we want to make sure people know the truth about his record.”
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*This article has been updated. Email Jeff Winkler and follow him on Twitter