Pawlenty on the possibility of filling the Senate seat
Gov. Pawlenty was asked about the report that his office has begun "looking into ... what might trigger the need for a gubernatorial appointment to the U.S. Senate."
During a news conference, Pawlenty said this about the possibility of him appointing someone to fill the Senate seat:
"I hope that's not necessary. I still think it is unlikely that there would be a long term vacancy or an intermediate term vacancy in that seat such that the appointment wouldn't even be necessary. I continue to believe that and that's the assumption that we're operating under that it's unlikely and wouldn't even be needed.."
When asked specifically what his office has done, Pawlenty said this:
"All that we have done is begin to look at the law so that if it became necessary, and it would only be a temporary appointment - I don't want anybody to think that it would be more than the limited time until we got the recount done. We're just looking at the laws to see how you do it so we don't get caught flat footed if it becomes necessary."
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