Interests: Politician and governor of Minnesota. Timothy James Pawlenty was born November 27, 1960 in South St. Paul, Minnesota. Pawlenty earned his undergraduate and law degrees at the University of Minnesota. He entered politics in 1991 as a member of the Eagan City Council. He was elected to the Minnesota State House of Representatives in 1992, serving as majority leader beginning in 1999. Pawlenty had originally planned to seek a seat in the U.S. Senate seat in 2002. But several Republican leaders, including Vice President Dick Cheney, asked him to step aside to allow Norm Coleman to challenge Paul Wellstone. Pawlenty then decided to run for governor to succeed Jesse Ventura. The race saw four major-party candidates, including Pawlenty (Republican) Roger Moe (Democratic), Tim Penny (Independent), and Ken Pentel (Green). Pawlenty campaigned in 2002 on a pledge not to raise taxes to balance the state's budget deficit. He also supported requiring visa expiration dates on driver's licenses, a 24-hour waiting period on abortions, implementing the state's conceal-carry gun law and changing the state's education requirements. Pawlenty became the 39th governor of Minnesota starting his term on January 6, 2003. He was re-elected in 2006. Pawlenty married Mary Elizabeth Anderson, a district judge in Dakota County, in 1987. They have two daughters: Anna and Mara.