Gov. Tim Pawlenty's consistent opposition to a new federal requirement that Americans purchase health insurance could bolster his national political ambitions, suggests a recent post on the National Journal's Hotline blog. Such mandates have become a touchstone issue since the passage of the national health care package, with Republicans across the country arguing that they're unconstitutional.

Two Republican presidential hopefuls -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and current Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty -- will speak April 9 at an event sponsored by the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota.

Texas Rep. Ron Paul was the surprise winner of the presidential straw poll at this weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference gathering. The Republican legislator garnered support from 31 percent of participants.

As we noted last week, all that barnstorming that Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been doing in the past few months has paid off handsomely in bottom-line terms. Pawlenty's Freedom First PAC raised almost $1.3 million in its first three months of existence, a sum that compares very favorably to the fundraising totals of his better-known Republican rivals, Mitt Romney and Sarah Palin, during the same period.

Fewer than 5 percent of likely Republican voters want Gov. Tim Pawlenty to be the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, according to a new Zogby poll.