Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, or TPAW as he’s known, has begun putting together a team for 2012, including an array of GOP big guns, but is TPAW’s campaign the the ascent of the bland?

Tim Pawlenty is emerging as the alternative to Mitt Romney in a battle of dry, normal, blue-collar Republican, versus slick, blue-blood, East Coast GOP. TPAW is looking to make a name for himself, and pick up a few future favors, by making an impact in 2009 and 2010 races with his new Freedom First PAC.

The second-term Minnesota governor, who is not seeking reelection next year, is focused on twin political goals, his advisers say: helping elect two Republican governors this fall from his perch as Republican Governors Association vice chairman and using his PAC to aid like-minded candidates

TPAW is also in the middle of a media blitz, traveling the TV circuit on Fox, CNN and other national outlets as he tries to emerge as the GOP’s opposition voice to many of Obama’s controversial policies. Pawlenty has even hired a bevy of experienced political hands to help shape his image, and springboard his national notoriety including Terry Nelson, Sara Taylor and Phil Musser, three GOP heavyweights with presidential experience, having helped George W. Bush in 2004. The Governor is also looking to make a big splash online by ensnaring an elite team of GOP internet strategists: Patrick Ruffini, Mindy Finn, Patrick Hynes and Liz Mair who hope to provide TPAW with, “the most sophisticated new-media presence of any Republican in the nation,” which has, as it’s backbone, the new timpawlenty.com, which launched this week.

I’ve had the opportunity to hear Tim Pawlenty speak in a small group setting several times, and one thing that comes across clearly whenever you spend time with Pawlenty is that he seems to be a genuine person. He doesn’t have that slick, smiling polish that Mitt Romney has, nor does he light up the grassroots with excitement like Sarah Palin, TPAW is, in a word, normal. He’s a regular guy, not too exciting, not controversial, more blue-collar than blue-blood, a rare republican who has a decent relationship with unions, TPAW is the quintessential Mid-westerner.

Is that enough to win the nomination or beat back Obama in 2012 and return the White House to GOP hands? We’ll see, but his new team of big wig consultants will look to elevate Pawlenty on the national stage as he seeks to steal a nomination that may be Romeny’s to lose. As I’ve said before, those Republicans who want a chance to take the White House in 2012 first need to make an impact in the big races of 2009 and 2010 and TPAW is definitely seeking to insert himself (and his PAC’s money) into the important races and issues of those cycles.