T-Paw: Ne-Yo of the GOP

Ne-Yo, Tim Pawlenty. Photo: Wikipedia

Tim Pawlenty is to Republican events what Ne-Yo is to R&B: the ubiquitous “featured” performer. In fact, the Minnesota governor appears to have outstripped the singer-songwriter in racking up special-guest appearances.

The comparison comes courtesy of Christian Heinze, who blogs about “GOP stars and prospective 2012 contenders” at GOP12. Ne-Yo is “featured in every song these days,” Heinze notes, just as Pawlenty seems to be showing up at GOP fundraising dinners in every state — the latest being a Feb. 26 date at Missouri Republicans’ Lincoln Days dinner.

But note for keynote, it seems Ne-Yo has more than met his match in T-Paw.

According to Wikipedia, Shaffer Chimere Smith (a.k.a. Ne-Yo) has been featured 13 times in the past four years on releases with artists including Ghostface Killah, Fabolous, Rihanna, DJ Felli Fel, Kanye West, Jadakiss, New Kids On The Block, Jamie Foxx and 50 Cent.

According to Governor’s Travels, Minnesota Public Radio’s real-time mapping of Pawlenty’s excursions, Pawlenty has been featured at events outside of Minnesota 17 times in the seven months since he said he would not seek re-election.

Missouri will be state No. 19 for Pawlenty, MPR’s Tom Scheck notes at Polinaut, and like a trip to Alabama earlier in February will come in the midst of the state Legislative session, during which he had promised to limit out-of-state travel to focus on Minnesota’s $1.2 budget deficit.