Tim Pawlenty raised a disappointing $4.2 million in his first quarter as a presidential candidate, falling short of expectations and raising questions about his ability to compete with the better-funded Mitt Romney and buzzier Michele Bachmann.The former Minnesota governor hoped to establish credibility early as a legit challenger to Romney’s frontrunner status, but he was hampered by a weak debate performance in which he appeared hesitant to go after his rival on health care. Romney is expected to raise between $15 and $20 million with more cash flowing into independent PACs loyal to his candidacy, meaning he may quintuple Pawlenty’s numbers or more.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=109953