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St. Paul (AP) ― Transportation commissioners don't get much more colorful than Minnesota's Carol Molnau, a sturdy sometime farmer and former legislator who once claimed to have beaten former Gov. Jesse Ventura in a keg-throwing contest.

Molnau earned the nickname "Ma" from Capitol colleagues for her tendency to bring homemade treats and haul out toys for visiting children. She also earned a reputation as a fighter, a trait she's shown again with her job on the line after the Minneapolis bridge collapse.

While other politicians struck a tone of sorrow and quiet resolution, Molnau was defiant and defensive at suggestions her agency put money ahead of safety and said she won't resign.

"If you really believe that any of us would compromise the safety of the motoring public, you're in the wrong place because we would not," she said last week, her voice rising during a briefing.

For now, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is standing by his commissioner, who also doubles as the lieutenant governor.

"She's done a good job," Pawlenty said. "Anybody who jumps to conclusions about what happened with respect to this bridge without awaiting the outcome of the NTSB investigation, I think should be cautious. We don't even know what happened here yet."

Molnau's future was shaky even before last week's catastrophe. Democrats unhappy with the administration's transportation spending have withheld confirmation of her appointment, raising the possibility she could be forced out.

At a news conference Monday, Molnau said she's focused on the aftermath of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse.

"For me personally it's a time to focus on what needs to be done, just as I've always done in this position and continue to do that," Molnau said. "There's many things that need to be done. Our folks are working around the clock and I'm going to be there helping them do that."

Even one of Molnau's biggest detractors, Democratic state Sen. Steve Murphy, said he would resist attempts to force a vote on her confirmation during a special session.

"People have asked that the lieutenant governor's head roll over this," said Murphy, DFL-Red Wing. "It is way too premature to start talking about those things."

Friction between Molnau and Democratic legislators like Murphy goes back years. They want to raise Minnesota's gas tax to put more money into roads and bridges. She and Pawlenty have stood against a higher gas tax, arguing that the needs can be handled through long-term loans.

That changed after last week's bridge disaster. Pawlenty softened on Friday and said he would accept a higher gas tax as part of a broader transportation spending plan. Hours earlier, Molnau had discounted the idea, but her tone changed Monday when she said she would take whatever transportation bill came out of a special session.

Blond, with the solid build of an Oktoberfest waitress, the 57-year-old Molnau has always stood out. When Ventura was in office and she was a legislator, she angered him by putting a hand on his knee during a joint television appearance. A couple of years ago, during the Thanksgiving ritual of pardoning a turkey, an impeccable Pawlenty stood back as Molnau matter-of-factly wrestled a large bird into submission.

Molnau got her start in local politics, serving on the Chaska City Council and being active in community groups. She was elected to the House in 1992 from the southeastern fringes of the Twin Cities in a district that included Shakopee, Prior Lake, Waconia and Belle Plaine.

As a legislator, she focused on transportation issues and took over as chairwoman of the House Transportation Finance Committee when Republicans gained the majority in 1999. She held that post for four years, giving her intimate knowledge of a state department with some 4,500 employees and an annual budget of about $2 billion.

Pawlenty named Molnau to head that agency after they took office in 2003, in a move aimed to illustrate a commitment to remaking government and saving money. Molnau draws only the $78,197 lieutenant governor salary, sparing the state from paying $108,000 a year for a separate commissioner.

Dean Johnson, a former Senate Democratic leader who sparred with Molnau on transportation issues, said he wasn't surprised by her response to the pressurized days after the collapse.

"Carol's a fighter and I say that in a positive sense," Johnson said. "She's not about to take the back seat to anybody. That's who she is."

But he added: "Sometimes you need to lay down your arms and say, `Sorry, we didn't so such a good job here."'

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According to a Gov. Tim Pawlenty's Web site, Molnau was born and raised on a farm in Carver County. She attended Waconia public schools and the University of Minnesota.

(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)