Tim Pawlenty is endorsing Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in the Nov. 3 special election for New York's 23rd District, according to RedState.com. Pawlenty, who's angling for a 2012 presidential bid, becomes the first sitting Republican governor to endorse Hoffman over the Republican nominee, Dede Scozzafava.

"We cannot send more politicians to Washington who wear the Republican jersey on the campaign trail, but then vote like Democrats in Congress on issues like card check and taxes," Pawlenty said in a statement to RedState. "After reviewing the candidates' positions, I'm endorsing Doug Hoffman in New York's special election. Doug understands the federal government needs to quit spending so much, will vote against tax increases, and protect key values like the right to vote in private in union elections."

Hoffman has previously been endorsed by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, and he has the backing of Club for Growth, which is airing ads in the district and released a poll today showing Hoffman in the lead.

"What makes this stand out even more than the Palin endorsement is that Pawlenty has not been seen as diverging with the Republican establishment," wrote RedState's Erick Erickson. "He's not seen as the maverick that Palin is. But Pawlenty has a huge amount of stature inside the Republican establishment, more so than Palin. That he is now willing to come out in favor of Hoffman is going to resonate among the Republican establishment in ways Palin's endorsement will not."

Democrats are hoping the divide in the GOP base between Hoffman and Scozzafava -- whom conservatives consider a liberal -- will splinter the vote in favor of Democratic nominee Bill Owens.