Election 101: Tim Pawlenty as 'everyman's' candidate? Ten points about who he is.

The former governor declared his candidacy for president May 22, and is hoping his foes’ flaws are his ticket to victory.

4. What are his weaknesses?

Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo
Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty speaks to local residents during a breakfast meeting at a Pizza Ranch restaurant, Tuesday, May 3, 2011, in Ames, Iowa.

“His biggest weakness is, ‘Tim who?’” says Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian at American University in Washington, DC.

Apart from low name recognition, Pawlenty lacks a deep fundraising network and, perhaps worst of all in the nominating contest, comes across as bland and uninspiring, says Professor Lichtman.

“He’s a cookie-cutter Republican,” he says. “If you were to go out and stamp out your basic Republican candidate, you’d have plain vanilla Pawlenty.

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