N.Y. 23 race an early 2012 test

On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty became the latest party hopeful to throw his support to Hoffman over Dede Scozzafava, a GOP moderate who is supported by the National Republican Congressional Committee and the House GOP leadership.

According to a GOP source, Pawlenty’s Freedom First PAC will contribute the maximum $2,400 to Hoffman’s campaign—the PAC’s first donation.

Scozzafava, a state assemblywoman who supports gay marriage, abortion rights and has close ties to labor officials in her region, has been harshly criticized by conservatives who claim she is too liberal for them to support her candidacy in upstate New York’s 23rd District.

Pawlenty’s endorsement follows announcements last week from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, both of whom backing Hoffman. An accounting executive and a relative political newcomer, Hoffman has recently emerged as a rallying point for tea party protesters and conservative activists across the country. As recently as Thursday, when asked if he planned to endorse a candidate in the special election, Pawlenty said, “I haven’t been following that.”

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