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From his official website:
Governor Pawlenty grew up in South St. Paul, Minnesota. The onlychild in his family to graduate from college, he attended theUniversity of Minnesota (B.A., J.D.) and practiced law in theprivate sector. His public service career includes serving as acity councilmember and ten-year member of the Minnesota House ofRepresentatives, including four years as House Majority Leader.
As Governor, he has balanced Minnesota's budget three timeswithout raising taxes, despite facing record budget deficits.Governor Pawlenty's most notable accomplishments include proposingand signing into law significant new benefits for veterans andmembers of the military; enacting a property tax cap, eliminatingthe marriage penalty and cutting taxes; toughening the state'seducation standards; reforming the way teachers are paid through anation-leading performance pay plan; instituting free-market healthcare reforms that increase accountability and provide tax creditsto encourage the use of health savings accounts; and implementing aplan to Americanize our energy sources by generating 25% of thestate's electricity from renewable sources by 2025.
On specific issues that might be interesting to various people,I've broken out the categories.
Recognized as a pro-life leader by “Minnesota Citizens Concernedfor Life”
Has appointed judicial conservatives to the bench, and recentlydrew praise from pro-life advocates for his appointment of EricMagnuson as Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court
Fought for and signed pro-life measures including: Woman’s Rightto Know (requiring 24 hour waiting period and required informationbe provided before an abortion), a fetal pain awareness act(requiring notice and information regarding pain experienced byfetuses) and positive alternatives to abortion act (providingfunding and support for organizations promoting alternatives toabortion).
Believes life begins at conception
Strong desire to overturn Roe v. Wade
Opposes embryonic stem-cell research while supporting adult stemcell research
Achieved long-standing state goal of moving Minnesota out of thetop ten highest taxed states according to the U.S. CensusBureau
In 2003, resolved the largest budget deficit in state historyand the largest budget deficit in the nation at the time (aspercent of state budget) without raising taxes
Vetoed all bills which increased taxes, including setting singlesession record for vetoes (34) by a Minnesota Governor
Supported Performance Pay for politicians, which would dock thepay of state office holders if a balanced budget is not passed bythe constitutional deadline
Has keep state employment roles essentially flat during his 5+years in office.
Proposed and signed into law welfare reform that requiresable-bodied people to seek work
As majority leader in Minnesota legislature, fought for andachieved historic tax cuts.
Supports an Initiative and Referendum Amendment to the stateconstitution to empower citizens to make and repeal laws
Cracked down on meth dealers and sex offenders with tougherpenalties
Required released sex offenders to wear GPS trackingbracelets
Proposed re-introducing the death penalty in Minnesota
Fought for and signed conceal-carry legislation
Strongly supported and endorsed by the NRA
Required visa expiration dates printed on driver licenses forlegal resident aliens
Blocked passage of the DREAM Act which would have allowedin-state tuition for illegal immigrants
Fought Minneapolis and St. Paul ‘sanctuary’ laws, which preventpolice and other city agencies from inquiring about immigrationsstatus
Proposed state law enforcement task force to crack down onillegal immigration
Proposed state fines for the hiring of illegal workers
Proposed increased penalties for using false identificationdocuments
Developed and implemented nation-leading reforms in education,including performance pay for teachers.
Strong supporter of school choice.
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