(CNN)As Tim Pawlenty weighs whether to run for Senate in Minnesota, Republicans have been attempting to persuade the former governor to jump into the race --
[...] Some sitting senators, including members of the Republican leadership, have reached out to the former governor in recent weeks to urge him to run, multiple sources said, as have prominent party donors.
The White House also believes Pawlenty is the potential candidate who is best positioned to pick up the seat for Republicans, said one party strategist who works with the administration. Pawlenty remains close with his former presidential campaign manager, Nick Ayers, who is now chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence and an influential voice in the administration on political decisions.
I wondered how Pence could be so greasy sleazy. Now I know. Flocking together. CNN's item continues:
Pawlenty was close to running for Senate once before, in 2002 midterm election cycle -- but then-Vice President Dick Cheney convinced him to exit the race just as Pawlenty was prepared to announce his bid. The last-minute intervention cleared the way for Coleman in the Senate primary, and Pawlenty decided to run for governor instead.
"We were all so much younger then," Coleman said, adding that a Senate seat might not hold the same appeal for Pawlenty today. "There's a call to service, and I believe Tim's open to service. But then the question is, what does he want to do?"
Former Rep. Vin Weber had "a long talk" with Pawlenty prior to Franken's resignation, urging him to run for governor, "and I think he was very interested in that," Weber told CNN. Although Weber would now support Pawlenty for governor or Senate, "they're totally different races" -- with a Senate bid likely presenting greater political challenges for a Republican running in 2018.
"I have no doubt that (Pawlenty) would be more excited about being in public life than about being in private life," Weber said, "but that's not all there is to the decision."
"... not all there is to the decision." Yeah. There is the money in lobbying; right, Vinny? Vinny like Timmy, would know about the money all too well. Bless them all.