Tim Pawlenty’s Social Conservative Street Cred

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty bolsters social conservative/prolife street cred in Iowa.  Last week the Pawlenty campaign sent out a mailer to Iowa Republicans highlighting his social conservative positions on the heels of his decision not to sign The FAMiLY Leader’s marriage vow.  I received mine while I was gone on vacation.  It says, “some candidates talk about fighting for our values, Tim Pawlenty has fought the fight and won.”  The mailer highlights numerous things he did/supported as Governor of Minnesota:

• He signed “The Woman’s Right to Know Act” his first year in office.
• He appointed a pro-life advocate as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
• He supported a parental notification law.
• He signed the Positive Alternatives to Abortion Act.  This law assisted pregnant women who don’t want to abort their unborn babies.  It provides $2 million in grants to life-affirming organizations to help those women.
• He co-authored the “Defense of Marriage Act” in Minnesota.
• He supported a state Constitutional Amendment defining marriage between an man and woman.
• His veto threat caused the legislature to scrap legislation that would have extended health insurance benefits to same-sex partners of state employees.

I haven’t endorsed anybody yet, but it seems pretty asinine to me for some of The FAMiLY Leader’s supporters to not support him just because he hasn’t signed their “Marriage Vow.”  You can see the mailer below:

Pawlenty Iowa Social Conservative Mailer

Photo by Dave Davidson