Tim Pawlenty was expected to be a frontrunner in the competition for the 2012 Republican nomination.
He's likable, had appropriately conservative positions and accomplishments to cite from his two terms governing a blue state.
But he dropped out Sunday after a distant third place straw poll finish behind Michele Bachmann.
He'll be ancient history by Friday and released a farewell message late Monday. But analysts have been attempting to discern why the former Minnesota governor got no traction with the media or voters.
Why Pawlenty didn't make that invisible emotional connection with in dividuals that some politicians like Barack Obama once did and Sarah Palin so obviously still does.
They each have their own campaign styles. Some are as phony as a campaigning congressman, pretending to chat while looking over the voter's shoulder at who's next to greet.
Others are intensely present for each person they talk with, an impression that voter shares with many others over time. At least that's the hope.
Four years ago, the Straw Poll was held in August when Republicans gather at the Illinois State Fair. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the last straw poll with 373 votes from the 922 Republicans who case ballots.
This year’s straw poll aims to sample a broader cross-section of Republican opinion throughout all 102 of Illinois’ counties.
Most Republicans write off Illinois and its 20 electoral votes to President Obama.
But Romney said during his last swing through Illinois May 26 that he considered Obama’s home state to be still “in play ... there’s no state that is safe for President Obama given the performance of our economy.”
Even if odds are against Republicans winning Illinois next year, candidates who hope to still be in the running for the state’s March 20 primary election have a reason to court Illinois Republican voters.
State Treasurer Dan Rutherford is heading up Romney’s campaign in Illinois.
The straw poll will offer an incentive to Republican candidates flying through O’Hare on their way to Iowa to schedule stops in DuPage County or other Illinois locales, Sen. Mark Kirk and Illinois Republican Party Chairman Patrick Brady said.
“New Hampshire and Iowa should not have all the fun,” Kirk said.
“We want to generate some enthusiasm among our voters,” Brady said. Candidates can hold joint events with Republican congressional candidates in Illinois, they said.
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