Gov. Tim Pawlenty is in a veepstakes rut. After weeks where he looked like the consensus top contender to join the ticket with John McCain — and despite shamelessly attempting to further ingratiate himself by making constant appearances at fundraisers and on talk shows across the country — T-Paw has lost his VP sheen. Talking Points Memo declared him too boring for prime time. The anti-tax zealots shivved him in the back. And now the Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza, who’s been on the Pawlenty blue-collar bandwagon (son of a truck driver!) for months, has downgraded him to the No. 2 spot in the GOP veepstakes. Here’s Cillizza’s take:

2. Tim Pawlenty: For the first time since we unveiled the vice presidential Line, T-Paw falls from the top spot. The buzz factor around Pawlenty has quieted quite a bit over the last month as the chattering class moves on to a new flavor of the month. Although Pawlenty isn’t ranked number one today, it’s hard to imagine that he is not one of the final three (or four) people that McCain considers. Pawlenty’s compelling personal story (the son of a truck driver), appeal in a potential swing state and close relationship with McCain are all powerful factors in his favor. (Previous ranking: 1)