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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is in Stamford tonight at the Prescott Bush Awards Dinner. The event is a fundraiser for the Connecticut Republican Party, and its keynote speaker is the front runner to be John McCain's running mate.

Every presidential election, there's a name that comes out of nowhere to be a Vice Presidential candidate, and this year, it's Tim Pawlenty. He's in his second term as Minnesota's governor and is national co-chairman of the McCain for President campaign. He's risen to the top of the list of VP choices because of his youth (he's 47), his tax cutting agenda, and his appeal to independents. He says his home state has a lot of political similarities to Connecticut and the rest of the blue-state Northeast.

Pawlenty has known McCain since the mid-1980s, has worked with him on policy issues, and accompanied him to Iraq. He's split with the Arizona Senator on issues like immigration, where he takes a tougher stand than McCain.

Pawlenty says while he's honored to be mentioned as a Vice Presidential candidate, any such talk is premature.