Former governor Tim Pawlenty, a potential 2012 presidential candidate, weighs in on his fellow Minnesotan, Rep. Michele Bachmann, who will be giving her own rebuttal to the State of the Union tonight:

“It’s all good,” Pawlenty said when asked about Bachmann’s plans during an interview with CNN’s Peter Hamby. “It’s cool.”

Freshman Rand Paul (R., Ky.), the founder of the Senate’s Tea Party Caucus, is also speaking out.

Speaking on CNN’s American Morning, Paul, himself a favorite of the Tea Party movement, said Bachmann’s address isn’t much different from the comments many Republicans will offer after Obama speaks. “I’ll be asked to comment, too,” Paul said. “A lot of different senators and congressmen make comments. Only one official one the Republicans give and I think that is fine because you can’t have ten different responses . . . . I think you get a variety of opinions and all Republicans aren’t the same, but I don’t see it as trying to usurp somebody else’s prerogative. I think one main Republican message, but other voices as well.”