Publisher, Tyndale House Publishers (January 2011)

Long before he was considered a top prospective presidential candidate for 2012—even before he landed on John McCain’s short list of potential running mates in 2008—Governor Tim Pawlenty had already earned legendary status in conservative circles. In his hard-left-leaning home state of Minnesota, the man known as “T-Paw” somehow erased a $4.8-billion budget deficit while simultaneously reforming health care, creating jobs, improving education, and supporting renewable energy reform--all without raising taxes.

In Courage to Stand, Pawlenty reveals, for the first time, how he found the resolve to get the job done, taking readers all the way back to the lessons he learned as a boy in the gritty meatpacking town of South St. Paul. From the devastating early death of his mother to the struggle to work his way through college and law school and his epic political battles as governor, Pawlenty opens up about his deepest beliefs and shares his vision for a better America.

About the Author: Tim Pawlenty is the two-term Governor of Minnesota. Pawlenty has used innovative and conservative leadership to balance that state's budget, cut spending, reform health care and improve schools without raising taxes. Under his leadership, Minnesota has nation-leading health care, the highest school test scores and a leading economy. Pawlenty has often fought uphill battles as a Republican governor in a very Democratic state. He has been married for over 20 years to his wife, Mary, a former district judge. The Pawlenty's have two teenage daughters.