Ohio’s attorney general endorses Pawlenty for president

Published 2:03 pm Monday, July 11, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s attorney general is backing former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s (puh-LEHN’-tees) run for the White House.

Mike DeWine says in a written statement Monday that he’s endorsing the Republican’s 2012 presidential bid because he believes Pawlenty understands how to improve the health care system without what he calls “unconstitutional mandates.”

DeWine — a Republican and former U.S. senator — successfully pushed for Ohio to join 25 other states in a lawsuit to block the new federal health care overhaul. The lawsuit claims the law violates people’s rights by forcing them to buy health insurance.

GOP state Auditor David Yost also has endorsed Pawlenty.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (KAY’-sik) told reporters Monday he has yet to decide who will get his support. The first-term Republican governor says he’s playing hard to get.