Political

An estimated 2,000 people are expected to turn out next week for a South Carolina visit by U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann, a potential Republican presidential contender. Planners had initially expected only about 200 people for the April 16 event in Bluffton.

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty's formed a committee to explore his options for running for President. And that means he's getting lots of attention from the likes of satirist Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report. See the video after the jump.

Presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty is planning to give a keynote address during a visit to northeast Ohio, a highly contested swing state in presidential politics. Pawlenty will also be among the speakers at an April 15 tea party rally in Boston.

Aides say Tim Pawlenty will take the first formal step toward a presidential bid Monday afternoon with the likely creation of an exploratory committee.

Minnesota House Republicans have outlined a series of income tax cuts, which Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton says would disproportionately benefit top earners.The House plan would lower two of Minnesota's three tax rates by a faction of a percent each, phasing the reductions in over three years.

Mayors from around Minnesota are telling Gov. Mark Dayton that cuts to local government aid would hurt the ability of their communities to provide public safety, perform needed maintenance and deliver services like libraries and community centers.

Former Vice President Walter Mondale and other seasoned politicians are asking Minnesota lawmakers to give up their power to redraw political boundaries and let retired judges do it instead.

The Minnesota Senate has overwhelmingly rejected Gov. Mark Dayton's proposal to raise income taxes on the wealthy, but the Democratic governor called the vote political game-playing as he tussles with Republicans over how to fix the state's $5 billion budget shortfall. Republicans brought up Dayton's plan for a floor vote Thursday even though their members unanimously oppose it. Republicans say they need to start debating his plan to create a fourth income tax bracket on top earners.

Former Governor Tim Pawlenty is doing his darnedest to become the next big screen action hero -- or President of the United States.  Either way, his latest "trailer" -- featuring his speech to Tea Partiers in Phoenix last weekend -- strikes a patriotic chord, again, much like his last video release.

The Democrat who lost in her bid to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann will lead a nine-state grassroots campaign to create clean-energy jobs. Tarryl Clark is a former state senator from St. Cloud who gave up her seat to challenge Bachmann in what became the most expensive U.S. House race in 2010.