Lots of conservative Minnesotans are still fans; this e-mail is representative:

you cited “Why would we open up a governorship that Democrats could easily win?”. Sorry to inform you but the DFL (Minnesota’s version of Democrats) have not won a gubernatorial race since 1986, Gov Rudy Perpich’s re-election. Even last November, in the best environment for a Democrat in a generation, they nominated a mean jerk who couldn’t win. As for Pawlenty’s so-called conversion on the gas tax, don’t persecute him until he signs the bill. And I bet he doesn’t. He’s the best supply-side governor in the US, even if he himself doesn’t even know it!

And:

Pawlenty may not be a “movement conservative” by any means, but his statement over the gas tax has been taking and abused beyond all context by both liberals and conservatives. He was speaking less than 48 hours after the accident when local Democrats were publically and privately accusing his tax policies of literally killing Minnesotans. While I and other Minnesota conservatives wish he hadn’t dug himself in a early rhetorical hole by saying all options are “on the table,” I can also say there has been no movement – none – towards actually enacting a 5-cent gas tax increase. In fact, privately there have been some turf battles between the House Republican Minority Leader Marty Seifert and Pawlenty’s staff as to which is more committed to preventing a gas tax from being passed. I think a SurveyUSA poll – showing 57% of Minnesotans against the increase has also helped. Regardless, please don’t encourage the eventual GOP nominee from taking Pawlenty as his VP. Flaws and all, he’s been great governor and quite frankly, we don’t have anyone else to run. [?!]