The tax bill is now alive and in play. House and Senate conferees approved the bill on Saturday night that provides tax reductions and credits for businesses. It would also open up a roughly $140 million hole in the next two-year general fund budget if Gov. Mark Dayton signs it into law.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has retired the debt left over from his failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination, his campaign said Tuesday, officially erasing a burden that at once stood at more than $500,000.

The other Minnesotan in the race, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, had a stronger showing, yet not as strong as some of her recent results have indicated.

Pawlenty garnered 5 percent support among those Republicans surveyed, while Bachmann saw her 6 percent total matched by U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has hired NIck Ayers, a highly regarded GOP operative, as his campaign manager for an all-but-certain presidential bid. Ayers previously served as executive director of the Republican Governors Association, which helped the GOP pick up seven gubernatorial seats in 2010.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty is now the second most likely Republican to end up with the 2012 GOP presidential nomination, according to the latest ranking from The Washington Post's Chris Cillizza. Only former Massachussets Gov. Mitt Romney ranks ahead of T-Paw on the list.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been actively testing the presidential waters for nearly two years. His latest walk on the national stage, ostensibly designed to promote his book Courage to Stand, has included visits to national programs such as Morning Joe, The Daily Show and The View.

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the top pick of four percent of Iowa Republicans to be the party's 2012 presidential nominee, according to a new survey released by Public Policy Polling. When likely GOP voters are pressed to name their second choice, Pawlenty is the pick of five percent of those surveyed.

Last January, 13 percent said Pawlenty would be the strongest candidate for their party in 2012 in the poll. This year, that's slipped to 9 percent.

Pawlenty will kick off the tour with a speech at the National Press Club and a book signing in Washington, D.C.. He'll make stops in the key swing states of Ohio and Florida as well.