Pawlenty looks for NRCC donations ahead of quarterly deadline

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) looked to lend House Republicans a hand in their fundraising efforts Tuesday.

Pawlenty e-mailed supporters of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) ahead of the committee's quarterly fundraising deadline to encourage donations to unseat Democrats in Congress.

“Winning a Republican House Majority this November will begin to rescue our country from the bailouts, handouts and takeovers of Barack Obama and his liberal extremists in Congress,” Pawlenty wrote in an e-mail for the NRCC.

A potential candidate for president in 2012, Pawlenty could garner more GOP support through his efforts. He can then cash in on that support as his presidential campaign develops over the next two years.

He established political action committees earlier this month in Iowa and New Hampshire, the first two states in the presidential nomination process.

Pawlenty is also scheduled to visit South Carolina this week, the state that traditionally hosts the third primary in the 2012 calendar.

He isn't the only Minnesotan to help the NRCC out in late June, either; Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) also solicited donations in a NRCC e-mail last week.