By COLLEEN MCCAIN NELSON

Speculation about Mitt Romney's running mate has kicked up a notch, as one possibility seemed to remove himself from the running, another took a more central role in the campaign and a third saw Mr. Romney confirm him as a serious contender.


Associated PressTim Pawlenty has 'never done a bad interview' while acting as a spokesman for the campaign, according to a Romney operative.

The field of Mr. Romney's potential choices seemed to narrow Tuesday as Republican officials and friends of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said he was likely to be chosen as the next president of Purdue University, based on what they had heard from people at the university or inside Mr. Daniels's camp. Mr. Daniels's selection was reported by the Indianapolis Star. The governor's office and Purdue declined to comment.
On Tuesday, a friend of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a conservative favorite, said that he wasn't currently being vetted by the Romney campaign. Mr. Romney brushed off a question about Mr. Rubio during the day in an appearance on Fox News, but by evening he said that the senator "is being thoroughly vetted as part of our process.''
Meantime, attention increasingly is turning to Tim Pawlenty, the former Minnesota governor and onetime Romney primary-season foe. Of elected officials who joined Mr. Romney in a recent six-state campaign tour, Mr. Pawlenty stood out to party leaders as they handicapped who might be chosen to join the GOP ticket.
Privately, some Romney campaign officials have offered that Mr. Pawlenty has impressed them with his work as a Romney representative on the campaign trail and with the press. "He's never done a bad interview" while acting as a campaign spokesman, said one Republican operative.
Moreover, Mr. Pawlenty's background as the son of a truck driver from South St. Paul, Minn., is a potential counterweight to Mr. Romney's wealth. The former governor also could help Mr. Romney in the battleground states of Minnesota and neighboring Iowa, both of which the campaign sees as potential pickups from President Barack Obama's 2008 column.
As is pro forma among potential picks, Mr. Pawlenty has shrugged off questions about the No. 2 slot. But over time, his denials have shifted from suggesting that Mr. Romney take his name off the list to noting that anybody would be honored to serve, if asked. He has been through this before: Mr. Pawlenty was said to be on GOP nominee John McCain's shortlist in 2008.
Mr. Pawlenty dropped out of the 2012 nominating contest before the first vote was cast, after doing poorly in a straw poll in Ames, Iowa, last August. A month later, he endorsed Mr. Romney, making him an early backer among GOP leaders. The two men have developed a friendly, respectful relationship, a friend of Mr. Pawlenty said.
Mr. Pawlenty and other potential running mates joined Mr. Romney for parts of the five-day bus tour that ended Tuesday. "I don't know if you've been listening or not, but Barack Obama's been going around the country basically saying his campaign theme is, 'It could be worse,' " Mr. Pawlenty told voters in Cornwall, Pa. "I've got news for the president: It's really bad. Mitt Romney's telling the country it's going to get a lot better when he's president."
Others who joined for segments of the tour included Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.
Some Republicans have questioned whether Mr. Portman's time as budget chief under former President George W. Bush would prove a liability to Mr. Romney. Ms. Ayotte is new to the national stage. Another potential pick, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, has said he isn't being vetted. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal are also seen as potential running mates.
Joe Brettell, a consultant to conservative groups and causes, said Mr. Pawlenty "checks all the boxes" for desired qualities in a Romney running mate: He's an evangelical Christian with a national profile who has credibility with conservatives.
Ben Golnik, a longtime Republican operative who previously served as executive director of the Republican Party in Minnesota, said Mr. Pawlenty can relate to people at a VFW lodge or in a Fortune 500 boardroom. "He's a known quantity. He's been vetted. He's been tested. There would be no learning curve for him," Mr. Golnik said.
One potential strike against Mr. Pawlenty: Mr. Romney landed an embarrassing, third-place finish in Minnesota's GOP presidential primary this year, behind Rick Santorum and Rep. Ron Paul, despite Mr. Pawlenty's role as a leading Romney surrogate.
"There are only two people in this country who know who are being vetted and who are not: And that's Beth Myers and myself,'' Mr. Romney said in Holland, Mich., referring to the longtime aide who is leading his vice presidential search. "And I know Beth well. She doesn't talk to anybody."
—Sara Murray and Patrick O'Connor contributed to this article.Write to Colleen McCain Nelson at [email protected]