ST. PAUL — Republican former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has quit his lobbying job in Washington as he mulls a run to regain the seat he held for two terms.

Minnesota Public Radio reports that Pawlenty will step down in March as CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, a trade group and lobbying arm for the banking and insurance industries. The group announced without explanation Tuesday that Pawlenty is leaving. The group says he’ll be missed.