The Hill News

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) said Wednesday that he viewed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) as the strongest GOP candidate against President Obama at the moment, but stopped short of an endorsement.

Pawlenty, the erstwhile Republican presidential candidate, said he saw the race winnowing down to a two-way contest between Romney and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R). But he didn't declare a favorite between the two.

"The race, in my view, is coming down to he and Gov. Perry," Pawlenty said during an appearance on MSNBC. "The polls would indicate slightly that Mitt Romney runs better against Barack Obama."

Pawlenty stressed the need for a Republican nominee who can appeal to a broad section of the electorate, including independents and Democrats. He said that Romney had the edge there, too.

"Mitt Romney, I think, can do that. Rick Perry, we'll see," he said.

An endorsement for Romney would put Pawlenty in a! somewhat difficult awkward position politically, given all the political energy the Minnesotan dedicated to taking Romney down a few notches. Pawlenty coined the term "ObamneyCare" to tie together the healthcare plan Romney signed as governor and Obama's national healthcare reform law.

Pawlenty handicapped both Romney and Perry going into tonight's highly-anticipated showdown at a Republican debate at the Reagan presidential library in California.

Romney, Pawlenty said, had done "very well" at previous debates, and would look to repeat that performance. Perry, by contrast, would have to make a good first impression with voters during his debate premiere, the former Minnesota governor suggested.