VP or not VP: Pawlenty’s stock falls with GOP insiders

Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s prospects in the veep sweepstakes have tumbled in recent months among Republican pooh-bahs, according to a new poll conducted by the National Journal. The survey of more than 100 Beltway insiders tapped Mitt Romney as the prohibitive favorite, with support from 32 percent of those polled. Former Office of Management and Budget director Rob Portman was a distant second at 14 percent. Pawlenty limped into third with support from 9 percent of respondents. What’s notable is that T-Paw led all comers in the last such poll, conducted in February, garnering 15 percent of the field. Among the anonymous quotes collected from respondents is this dubious assertion about Pawlenty: “Puts Minnesota in Mac’s column–no small feat.”

While surveys of the general public gaging VP candidate support undoubtedly shortchange Pawlenty’s prospects because of a lack of national name recognition, the same argument can’t made with this group of GOP heavies. Among those polled: former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, uber-pundit Mary Matalin, and top McCain adviser Charlie Black.

On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton tops the pack with support from 17 percent of voters, while Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius runs second with 12-percent support. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, occasionally mentioned as a darkhorse candidate on the Democratic side, received no votes.

More: See previous MinMon VP or not VP posts about Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s vice-presidential prospects.