Gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty rode into Austin, leading his opponents in the poll conducted by a Twin Cities newspaper.

The Wednesday campaign stop at Jerry's Other Place couldn't have been more timely for the GOP-endorsed candidate for governor of Minnesota.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune poll has Pawlenty leading Democrat Roger Moe and Independence Party candidate Tim Penny.

Pawlenty's support actually increased from 29 to 32 percent in the poll, while Moe's remained steady at 29 percent and Penny's dropped from 27 to 19 in the last week.

State Sen. Grace Schwab (R-Albert Lea) introduced Pawlenty to the Jerry's Other Place crowed of GOP faithful.

"He's made a real different for the people of our area," Schwab said, citing the House Minority Leader's work on obtaining flood relief monies for communities in Senate District 27.

"What are we going to do to make Minnesota a better place," remains Pawlenty's top priority, he said.

While his gubernatorial opponents say to do that, the state's budget deficit must be erased and one way of doing that is to raise taxes, Pawlenty's disagrees. "In these tough economic times it's not the appropriate thing to do," he said.

The former criminal prosecutor said criticism of his proposal to assist public safety efforts with a measure that would call for visa expiration dates to be listed on Minnesota driver's licenses is unfair. Pawlenty said there is wide support for having the visa expiration dates of immigrants to be known to all law enforcement agencies is now being done in 19 other states.

The candidate refused to simply embrace job creation as a necessary economic development tool. The jobs Pawlenty wants created in Minnesota are well-paying jobs that will not allow those people to be tempted to leave the state for higher paying jobs in other states.

Pawlenty was generous in urging Republicans to support local legislative candidates, including Schwab and State Rep. Dan Dorman (R-Albert Lea) and House hopeful Jeff Anderson.

According to his campaign aides, Pawlenty will have come full circle Tuesday on Election Day, when he returns to the Croatian Hall in South St. Paul to await the outcome of the gubernatorial election.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com