WASHINGTON (CNN) - A member of Tim Pawlenty's New Hampshire steering committee has abandoned the campaign, complaining the former Minnesota governor hadn't done what's needed to win the first-in-the-nation primary.
Instead, New Hampshire state Rep. Shaun Doherty, R-Pelham, told CNN he plans to support former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's campaign.
"The Pawlenty campaign didn't capitalize on the momentum from its launch, and it wasn't developing into the kind of campaign that I wanted it to," Doherty said. "I'm still a fan of his but I don't think his presidential campaign has made the right moves so far."
Doherty's change of heart was first reported by the New Hampshire Union Leader.
Pawlenty last visited New Hampshire on June 13 to participate in CNN's presidential debate. The conservative Midwesterner, who was widely criticized for failing to attack Romney in that debate and who has struggled to gain traction in recent polling, is investing heavily in the closely watched GOP straw poll in Ames, Iowa, in August.
Romney formally launched his campaign in New Hampshire, and has made winning the state a key strategy for his presidential hopes.
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Ouch that has got to hurt Pawlenty. It is looking more grim for him by the day. Bachmann is higher than him in most polls, and I really wonder where his fire is. I know that he wants it, but how hard is he really working for it? He hasn't fully pounced on things like missing the chance to nail Romney in that first debate.
"The Pawlenty campaign didn't capitalize on the momentum ..."
Momentum? What momentum?
Interesting how this "frontrunner" has had nothing to say about the debt ceiling crisis.
Little Timmy was doomed when he showed what a big coward he was during the debate.
Just another example of how the word "loyalty" is not in the Republicans vocabulary.
Well, Gov Pawlenty, who is CHICKEN now! Hmmm! You will continue to turn out to be the disappointment you have always been!
who cares about these bufoons now when the country is such a turmoil. They are better off keeping a low profile for now.
Has anyone noticed that there are a lot of Republican aides, strategists and advisers jumping from one candidate to another like fleas to a warm dog in winter? What is with these guys? No loyalty, no principles, if you look like you are not moving up, you are left.
I love watching the repliCONS fighting for last place! None of them should be the president of our once great country, brought down by Reagan and the Bush dynasty.
TRENDING: Pawlenty backer jumps to Romney
POOR-lenty you couldn’t get him to STICK like Hominy???
That’s because Paw-Paw is to busy trying to be tough
Not listening to what’s right and his backer had enough!!!
I watched POORlenty this pass Sunday on Candy Crawley and all he did was RAG on President Obama. He campaigned the entire time and did not answer ONE question thoroughly. He’s a LOSER and no wonder supporters are quitting on him.
Who?
Oh, he finally surfaced? No comment about the debt ceiling fiasco. No, thank you. I don't want this dude for POTUS. Bye!
Fair weather politics. I bet these guys have never sailed in a storm.
He will be jumping again because romney will not be the nominee
Big news! A supporter dumps his candidate because he won't win the Ames Straw Poll, and instead moves to another campaign that won't win the Ames Straw Poll.
GOP strategist are running from candidate to candidate. If it so easy to jump ship and then join another shows how little difference there is between the GOP candidates.
Now that's smart, leaving one sorry team to work on another. LOL
Look at em hop like bed bugs.
Mitt you can't win the general carrying the Republican banner!! stop wasting your time
And another one bites the dust.
Another sign of a Romney-Pawlenty ticket. Flip and Flop in 2012 will be their slogan. Laugh, but you heard it from me first.
2 % Timmy's only way to the White House is as a visitor....
does this make romney look worse as in "he'll do anything to win"? don't we have enough of that in DC already?
Good move. Romney has NH in the bag. He is porbably the best man to fix the economy and bring sense to Washington
Now if we can just get all the GOP to jump ship... without a life preserver of course.
Not surprising coming from a card carrying member of the party of *me first*. Doubtful Rep. Dohtery will get any more traction for his own political ambitions with Romney than he would have with Pawlenty, the *momentum* for GOPer candidates being what it is right now, and all. Good new is, Pawlenty isn't going much further up the campaign ladder himself. Pawlenty's always been a bottom rung kind of man, always will be.