Pawlenty Files Campaign Committee for Minnesota Governor Run

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has formed a campaign committee to run for his old job.

The two-term Republican governor announced Monday he created a campaign committee for the 2018 election. It's not official yet, as Pawlenty still needs to formally file for the office.

But it's the surest sign yet that Pawlenty plans to enter the race after starting to raise money recently. He says he'll make a final announcement soon.

Pawlenty would bring widespread recognition in Minnesota and unparalleled fundraising ability in the race to replace Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. But his five years lobbying in Washington for the nation's biggest banks also brings political risk.

It would be a return to politics for Pawlenty, who left office in 2011 and ran a short-lived 2012 presidential campaign.