Out of race, still in debt for Minn.'s Pawlenty

[October 15, 2011]  ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is out of the race for president -- but still deep in debt.

A fundraising report covering July through September shows the former GOP candidate owes $453,000 for the campaign he ended in August. Fundraising consultants, building landlords and equipment rental companies, all have five-figure debts owed to them.

Pawlenty ended up spending about $4.7 million in the less than six months he was in the race. He ended his campaign after a third-place finish in a test vote in Iowa.

In all, Pawlenty raised about $5.4 million but had to return some of the money because he could only tap it if he had won his party's nomination.

The candidates' reports offer the first broad look at the financial health of the GOP field.

[Associated Press; By BRIAN BAKST]

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