Tim Pawlenty Quits 2012 Campaign

After a disappointing finish in the Iowa straw poll, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty has quit the 2012 campaign. Pawlenty told supporters in a conference call that “We cannot envision a path forward to victory and so therefore we made a decision to end the campaign.”

Pawlenty finished third, behind Rep. Michele Bachmann and Rep. Ron Paul. Pawlenty’s campaign had struggled to find traction in the GOP field, and had expressed confidence in how he would perform at the straw poll.