Next Governor and Current Candidates: State Fair Style

As the gates to the Great Minnesota Get Together open, candidates are ready for this unique opportunity to interact with a cross section of voters.

DFL gubernatorial hopeful Tim Walz was prepared as he showed off his corn dog socks given to him from his running mate Peggy Flanagan. We spoke with pair as the sun came up at 6:00am in Falcon Heights where he doesn't have his own booth like his oppponent. We asked what on earth possessed them to get up this early in the morning? Walz responded with a chuckle saying "We love the State Fair, the opportunity to be here at the opening, something I had never done." Flanagan confessed, "We are total nerds for the fair." Walz added that the fair transcends politics.

Republican candidate for governor Jeff Johnson is back at the fair with a booth featuring a bright red bolder look just like the candidate fresh off a big primary win for two-term former Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Johnson has run for this office before, so it's the fourth Johnson for Governor booth, but he says this is the best location so far, not just because they're in front of the wine booth. It's a heavy traffic area to see was many voters as possible.  A couple of voters stopped by the express their displeasure with Johnson for not disassociating himself with President Donald Trump, Johnson said "I support him, I support where he's trying to take the country. I'm not always going to agree with him."

Meanwhile the current Governor Mark Dayton greeted folks for the last time at the State Fair as the state’s chief executive. After a lifetime in public service and running for office at the fair, the 71-year-old Dayton admitted it is sad. "I've been doing this since 1980 when I ran for U.S. Senate, a long, long time." He vows to come back after he leaves office saying he thinks he's been here every year since he was 6 years old, "that's 65 years, gulp."