Iowa GOP Co-Chairman Backs Pawlenty For President

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa Republican Party co-chairman Jim Kurtenbach is stepping down from his state GOP post to support Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign.

Kurtenbach is the latest in a series of Iowa Republican leaders to throw their support to the former Minnesota governor. Pawlenty is tapping Kurtenbach to be an Iowa campaign co-chairman.

Kurtenbach is a Republican former state representative from Nevada, Iowa. He was elected the state GOP organization's No. 2 official in 2009 and re-elected unanimously to a second term in January.

Pawlenty says he needs to win or do very well in the caucuses next year. He has amassed a team of veteran Iowa Republican staff and operatives to advise him.

Kurtenbach joins as co-chairman Christian Fong of Cedar Rapids and Roger Underwood of Ames. Pawlenty was in Iowa Saturday.

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