pawlentyskyGov. Tim Pawlenty’s job-approval rating is on such a steep decline — dropping 10 percentage points in three months — that it’s on track to dip even lower than the pluralities by which he was elected.

In November, 58 percent of Minnesotans polled told SurveyUSA they approved of Pawlenty’s performance. That fell to 54 percent in December, to 53 percent in January, and in the most recent results from late February, to 48 percent. (See Survey USA’s table here.) At that rate, a smaller proportion of Minnesota voters will approve of Pawlenty this month than voted for him in 2006 (46.7 percent). And by the time SurveyUSA conducts its poll in April, the governor’s approval will fall below even the 44.4 percent he won by in 2002.

Smart Politics observes that Pawlenty’s February showing is still fifth-best among the 14 governors they research (h/t Polinaut). KSTP-TV, which pays for the polls, reported that Pawlenty found the January results encouraging for his re-election in 2010. Going on radio and TV might help — or he could try taking action that voters see as being in the best interest of the state. If he does that, his approval rating by the end of the current legislative session might not tank below his 2002 showing at the polls.