The Palin Effect...

[AAR]

Not to be out maneuvered by Sarah Palin, and after reading the TEA
leaves (and after seeing trends in recent polls)...

RedState reports:


October 26th, 2009

NY-23: Pawlenty Endorses Hoffman

Tim Pawlenty is endorsing Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in
the Nov. 3 special election for New York's 23rd District...

"We cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican
jersey on the campaign trail, but then vote like Democrats in Congress
on issues like card check and taxes," Pawlenty said in a statement to
RedState. "After reviewing the candidates' positions [and seeing all
those TEA leaves], I'm endorsing Doug Hoffman in New York's special
election...

Hoffman has previously been endorsed by former Alaska governor Sarah
Palin ... a poll today showing Hoffman in the lead.

"What makes this stand out even more than the Palin endorsement is
that Pawlenty has not been seen as diverging with the Republican
establishment," wrote RedState's Erick Erickson. "He's not seen as the
maverick that Palin is. But Pawlenty has a huge amount of stature
inside the Republican establishment, more so than Palin. That he is
now willing to come out in favor of Hoffman is going to resonate among
the Republican establishment in ways Palin's endorsement will not."

And they said Palin's political career and influence was over when she
resigned as governor!

AAR