Minnesota's Reagan

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is the latest in the 2012 GOP line-up to be granted a comparison with Ronald Reagan. Michael Gerson has suggested that Pawlenty's civility and charm, his ability to appeal to non-conservatives and his succesful show-down with Minnesota's strong transport union, echo Reagan's candidacy and leadership. Governor of the only state never to vote for Reagan, Pawlenty certainly admires the former president, but might be sceptical about embracing the association. Last year, he suggested that the Republican Party was too prone to nostalgic evocations of its iconic leader:

We need to develop new Ronald Reagans and new reference points. It would be as if Barack Obama was going around and constantly talking about Truman or LBJ. It’s just become a reference point that isn’t as relevant for young people.