Nate Silver notes that while Tim Pawlenty’s name ID is increasing, his poll numbers aren’t:

Tim Pawlenty’s name recognition has improved more than any other Republican candidate since the start of the year — it’s increased to 49 percent from 39 percent, according to Gallup — but that hasn’t translated into any additional support in the horse race polling, where his numbers have been stuck at about 4 percent all year.

The same is true for Mitch Daniels. (Hat tip: GOP12’s Christian Heinze, who also points out that Pawlenty has attributed his low poll numbers to how few voters have heard of him.)

The Pawlenty camp isn’t too concerned. “It’s well established that national polls at this early stage of the race have little predictive power in how candidates will do next year in Iowa, New Hampshire and beyond. As more voters get to know Governor Pawlenty, they will be impressed with his record of cutting taxes and spending in Minnesota,” spokesman Alex Conant told National Review Online.

On the Corner yesterday, Stanley Kurtz argued that Republicans should “wake up and recognize that Tim Pawlenty has already got everything the GOP is looking for — with two successful gubernatorial terms worth of experience to boot.” He also pointed out that low name ID could be solved.