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Pawlenty was elected to the Minnesota [[House of Representatives]] in 1992, and reelected five times. In 1998, he was elected as the state House Majority Leader. In 2002, Pawlenty was the Republican nominee for Governor. He faced strong opposition from Minnesota DFL state senator Roger Moe, and independent candidate, former Congressman Tim Penny. Opinion polls that showed the race tight, however he won the election by seven percentage points, mostly by winning voters in the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul.  

Pawlenty was elected to the Minnesota [[House of Representatives]] in 1992, and reelected five times. In 1998, he was elected as the state House Majority Leader. In 2002, Pawlenty was the Republican nominee for Governor. He faced strong opposition from Minnesota DFL state senator Roger Moe, and independent candidate, former Congressman Tim Penny. Opinion polls that showed the race tight, however he won the election by seven percentage points, mostly by winning voters in the suburbs of Minneapolis-St. Paul.  

As Governor, Pawlenty balanced Minnesota's budget three times without raising taxes, despite facing record budget deficits. Governing as a fiscal conservative, he enacted a property tax cap and eliminated the marriage penalty. On November 30, 2005, a $701 million projected surplus was announced, the first budget surplus for the Minnesota state government since 2001. He proposed and signed into law welfare reform that requires able-bodied people to seek work.<ref>http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/aug/28/get-to-know-tim-pawlenty/</ref>  

As Governor, Pawlenty balanced Minnesota's budget three times without raising taxes, despite facing record budget deficits. This was largely accomplished by raising $893 million in citizen "fees", which most voters considered the same as a tax. This included a "health fee" ($401 million) for all cigarette buyers which was ruled unconstitutional, a harvest fee for farmers, a 9-1-1 fee on all telephone lines, a fee for traditional marriage, and large increase in parking fees.<ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_multi=DU|&p_product=DU&p_action=search&s_trackval=DU&p_text_search-0=Report:%20Fees%20soar%20as%20state%20taxes%20hold%20steady ''Duluth News Tribune'': Fees soar as state taxes hold steady] (2006)</ref> To balance these fees, he enacted a property tax cap and eliminated the marriage penalty. On November 30, 2005, a $701 million projected surplus was announced, the first budget surplus for the Minnesota state government since 2001. He proposed and signed into law welfare reform that requires able-bodied people to seek work.<ref>http://www.redstate.com/diaries/redstate/2008/aug/28/get-to-know-tim-pawlenty/</ref>  

Pawlenty was the chairman of the National Governors Association from 2007 to 2008. He describes himself as pro-life and supports overturning [[Roe v. Wade]]. On [[gun control]] he supports statewide background checks to carry firearms.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Tim_Pawlenty_Gun_Control.htm</ref>

Pawlenty was the chairman of the National Governors Association from 2007 to 2008. He describes himself as pro-life and supports overturning [[Roe v. Wade]]. On [[gun control]] he supports statewide background checks to carry firearms.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Tim_Pawlenty_Gun_Control.htm</ref>