[Kinds Of Pain Meds]

KSTP.com: http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2130293.shtml

In an election for President in the state of Minnesota May 24, the day after Republican Tim Pawlenty officially announced his plan to run for president against Barack Obama in 2012, Pawlenty fails to carry his home state, according to a SurveyUSA poll conducted exclusively for KSTP-TV.

In a hypothetical head-to-head matchup, Obama keeps Minnesota's electoral votes in the Democratic column, 48% to 43% -- not the vote of confidence Pawlenty may have been hoping for from those who know him.

Minnesota has been a key battleground state the last several election cycles. Democrats carried MN by 10 points in 2008, by 3 points in 2004, and by 2 points in 2000. Republicans see MN as a key pick-up if they hope to re-take the White House and Pawlenty has little chance to win the White House if he does not carry his home state.

55% of Minnesotans see Pawlenty as either "very" or "somewhat qualified to be president. But: he has a net favorability rating of Minus 3 --- 35% have a favorable opinion of him, compared to 38% who have a negative opinion. MN Independents chose Obama 5:4 over Pawlenty; MN moderates chose Obama 2:1 over Pawlenty.

For perspective, and to give the Pawlenty campaign some comfort, presidential aspirant Michele Bachmann has a net favorability rating of Minus 28 in her home state of MN. Just 27% say she is qualified to be president. In a head-to-head hypothetical matchup against Obama today, Obama defeats Bachmann 57% to 32%.