Timothy James Pawlenty (born November 27, 1960) is the 39th and current Governor of Minnesota and a Republican. In the Minnesota gubernatorial election of 2002 he was elected governor and was inaugurated on January 6, 2003. He was re-elected in 2006. On June 2, 2009, Pawlenty announced he will not seek reelection, possibly clearing the way for a 2012 presidential run.
Personal
In 1994, Pawlenty's wife Mary was appointed as a judge of the Dakota County District Court in Hastings, Minnesota and the two began raising their two daughters, Anna and Mara. After he was elected in 2002, the family remained at their Eagan home instead of moving into the Governor's Residence because of Mary's requirement to stay in her judicial district. In 2007, she left her judicial position to become General Counsel of the National Arbitration Forum, a dispute resolution company based in Minneapolis. She stayed on only briefly before departing for another dispute resolution company, the Gilbert Mediation Center.
Of Polish and German heritage, Pawlenty was raised a Roman Catholic Christian. His conversion to an Evangelical Christian faith is largely attributed to his wife Mary, who is a regular member of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. The church is part of the Minnesota Baptist Conference, and the senior pastor, Leith Anderson, is the president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
No comments:
Post a Comment