GOP presidential hopefuls to visit Dallas this week

Source: Dallas Morning News Online

GOP in Big D

Two GOP contenders for president visit Dallas this week.

On Tuesday, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will be here for a fund-raiser hosted by businessman Tom Hicks.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has not yet announced his intentions, is the keynote speaker Thursday at the Hatton W. Sumners Distinguished Lecture Series. The event, at the Westin Galleria Hotel, is sponsored by the National Center for Policy Analysis.

Obama to skip Dallas

Dallas County, now a model for Democratic politics across the state, is apparently not blue enough to garner a public visit from President Barack Obama.

The president has visited several Texas cities but has not made a public appearance in Dallas since being elected in 2008.

He’s in Texas Tuesday for a public appearance in El Paso and a fund-raiser in Austin.

Obama did come to Dallas in 2010 for a private fund-raiser.

Local Democrats said they expect Obama to make a public visit to Dallas during the 2012 election cycle.

After all, his state campaign offices are in Dallas and Austin. And since the Dallas area may get a new congressional district, Obama may campaign for the Democrat seeking that seat.

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