Republicans pushed former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to run, hoping he could help them pick up a Senate seat in a difficult national environment. | Steve Pope/Getty Images Pawlenty won't run for Senate in Minnesota

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Tuesday he won't run in a special election for the Senate later this year.

Pawlenty, now the CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, a powerful bank lobbying group, ruled out a run during an appearance on Fox Business Network. "I'm interested in continuing to serve," Pawlenty said. "There's a variety of ways to do that, [but] running for U.S. Senate this year won't be one of them."


Pawlenty was the best Republican hope to challenge appointed Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), until recently the state's lieutenant governor. She took office after repeated sexual harassment allegations forced then-Sen. Al Franken to resign earlier this month. A special election will be held in November for the remaining two years of Franken's term.

Republicans pushed the former governor to run, hoping his name identification and reputation as a so-called Sam's Club Republican could help them pick up a Senate seat in a difficult national environment. Minnesota, traditionally a blue state, has trended Republican in recent years, and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won it by just two percentage points in 2016. Democrats, however, thought they would be able to use Pawlenty's post-gubernatorial career as a conservative presidential candidate and bank lobbyist as a way to convince Minnesotans their former governor was out of step with the state.

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Pawlenty's decision not to run leaves state Sen. Karin Housley as the major GOP challenger to Smith, who has thus far avoided any major opponents in a Democratic primary.