The man from Minnesota's march through Georgia yesterday wasn't exactly of the General Sherman variety, but he took Atlanta by storm nonetheless. 

Tim Pawlenty, a former two-term governor from the "Land of 1,000 Lakes," showed last night why he's a force to be reckoned with in the Republican presidential nominating sweepstakes. Despite his sagging early poll numbers, he's raising money-- and a lot of it.

Pawlenty [pictured below],who's national campaign is managed by former Ga. Governor Sonny Perdue's trusted political guru, the 29-year Nick Ayers -- dubbed the "whiz kid" by this newspaper and referred to as the "golden boy" by his peers -- has put together a Georgia campaign staff that rivals any candidate. His state fundraising team, led by Tricia Pridemore (T-Pride) showed their political prowess right out of the Peach State gate. Pridemore's team raised well over $100,000 for their candidate during a two-hour "meet and greet" Buckhead fundraiser that was hastily organized.

The carpe-diem style of the Pawlenty Atlanta strategy was formulated to capitalize on Newt Gingrich's recent campaign of apocalypse, where the former House Speaker's entire top tier staff quit – including his senior finance team -- over a cataleptic ten-day cycle in June. Taking advantage of Gingrich's management implosion, Pawlenty's Georgia team swiftly and deftly dialed their conservative candidate into the main vein of Atlanta's top GOP donors, and it paid off handsomely last night. They started by recruiting Perdue -- a former Gingrich supporter and a prolific fundraiser -- to their camp when the former Georgia chief executive abandoned Gingrich's seemingly fledgling effort a few weeks ago. That gave them access to Perdue's Rolodex, and along with Pridemore's [pictured right], it went from there.

T-PAW'S PEACHES

Pawlenty's campaign team induced a turnout last night of about 200 guests, including Perdue, and a plethora of "A-list" elected Republicans. When asked why he was supporting Pawlenty, Perdue said it was a matter of trustworthiness. "I've come to know Tim in the eight years we served together as governor in our respective states," Perdue said. "I'd trust Gov. Pawlenty with my wife, my wallet, and my grandchildren, and that covers the gamut," Perdue answered. At which point Pawlenty quipped, "I'm glad you left out your hunting dogs." Both former governors are avid outdoorsmen. Pawlenty, who spent most of the day campaigning in Manhattan, coined himself a "transformational leader," and pledged his campaign's cornerstone is to "tell the American electorate the truth regardless of the political consequences."

The Midwesterner buttressed that theme by providing examples. "I went to Iowa and called for an end to [wasteful] ethanol subsidies; I went to Florida and told seniors Medicare was going bankrupt and we had to change it to save it: I went to D.C. and told the public employee unions that there would have to be a wage and benefit freeze for the foreseeable future," he explained. "Then I went to New York City today and told Wall Street executives "you have to stop gouging at the trough' and take a hard look [at your priorities]."

Pawlenty blasted President Obama for wrecking the nation's economy. "Two percent growth isn't going to cut it," he said. "We need five percent economic growth per year for the next decade and I have the most specific plan set forth by any candidate to accomplish that," he said, right before asking a rhetorical question. "When has a government bureaucrat ever transformed your life?"

The former governor said the economy recovers only by looking to the private sector. "I don’t want a government sector economic recovery, I want a private sector economic recovery," he reiterated.

In responding to the criticism from some mainstream media that his five percent growth plan was "pie in the sky," Pawlenty took a page out of JFK's book. "President Kennedy embarked on a space program to get a man on the moon in ten years, not to just get [a rocket] into the atmosphere." Pawlenty said the nation's debt was public economic enemy number one. "We're borrowing $40,000 per minute every day. Just in this hour we've borrowed another $2.4 million. It simply cannot be [sustained]," he said.

Todd Rehm, a Republican political campaign consultant based in Gwinnett County, says Pawlenty has made definite headway. "Based on what I saw, Tim Pawlenty isn't going to win any dynamic speaking awards, but running an effective campaign for President is not just giving stirring speeches," Rehm observed. "It requires connecting with donors and activists, raising tons of money, and building your foundation one brick at a time. Pawlenty has so far done a more effective job of those things than any other GOP candidate for President I've personally witnessed this cycle."

GEORGIA ANALYSIS

By assembling a top-tier Peach State campaign team, opening up an Atlanta office and securing early fundraising and legislative support, Pawlenty has not only put Georgia in play, he's made winning the state's March GOP presidential primary a centerpiece of his southern campaign strategy.

But he still has an uphill battle. He'll be fighting Mitt Romney, who has a formidable financial and elected-official support base here, led by the indelible former Speaker of the Ga. House, Mark Burkhalter, who personally raised $3.6 million for Romney in his failed 2008 bid. Burkhalter, now an international business consultant, has already held one Romney fundraiser in Georgia, and he's hosting another blockbuster one next month in London.

Whatever Gingrich's internal campaign issues might be, he still has a significant and loyal following among conservatives in the state, and he can't be dismissed. Plus, he still has the support of Gov. Deal, who will put his entire political machine behind his friend. Gingrich could win the primary with less money and less staff, as evidenced by Mike Huckabee's shocking upset win here in 2008.

Herman Cain remains the wild card. Whether the businessman can hang around until March is not known at this point, but if he does, he takes votes from Pawlenty.  And don't forget Ron Paul. He cobbled together nearly 10 percent of Georgia's presidential primary voters in the last go around, and his state-wide support has only grown since then, with little, if any, fallout. Paul is staring down the barrel of at least double digits.

Pawlenty has now made himself a Georgia factor his Republican opponents will need to deal with between now and Super Tuesday. I rate the state a four-way toss-up: Romney, Gingrich, Pawlenty and Paul.

jfredericks@beaconcast.com

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