WASHINGTON — Tim Pawlenty will head to Boston, site of the original Tea Party protest that helped spark the American Revolution some 237 years ago, to headline a Tea Party rally on April 15, which is traditionally the date taxes are due.

The event’s location and timing are strategic for several reasons. Two that spring to mind immediately:

1. T-Paw, whose staff have highlighted signs rebranding him as “Tea-Paw,” is trying hard to reach out to that wing of the Republican Party. Highlighting a rally on tax day gives Pawlenty the opportunity to associate his economic message with that of the modern Tea Party.
2. It happens to be the home turf of Mitt Romney, who was governor of Massachusetts from 2003-07, and still resides in the state.

It won’t be Pawlenty’s only event of the day, he’s also scheduled to headline a ‘tax day’ rally in Concord, N.H., alongside former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

Most other presidential aspirants are planning events around April 15 to mark tax day. Michele Bachmann will be in South Carolina for tax day themed events that will include a rally on April 16. (right now her only listed event on April 15 is a fundraiser, but the schedule isn’t finalized).

In the interest of accuracy, I should point out that none of the major tax day rallies scheduled so far are actually taking place on tax day. This year, Americans get a three-day extension, so tax day falls instead on April 18.