Minnesota Lawyer
Politicians are in the hand-shaking business, and will literally go door-to-door for months on end just to get a firm grip on a constituent’s palm. The ideal way to get the most contact with the largest amount of people is to follow the crowds, parking oneself in the middle of an event and waiting for your glad-handing targets to come to you.
There aren’t many better places to try that trick than the Minnesota State Fair. But be warned: In this case, the hand that reaches out might still be a little greasy.
Just about everyone shows up, though they don’t always play along: Last year, Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL U.S. Sen. Al Franken, then in the midst of re-election campaigns, both declined invitations from Minnesota Public Radio for debates against their respective opponents. At the time, Dayton and Franken both held big leads, financially and otherwise, and the only increase they needed from the fair was measured in calories.
But for politicos who might have higher ambitions, the State Fair is a swell place to get face time with the folks and airtime on the news. Dressed down, relaxed and undoubtedly well-fed, these are the faces of the Minnesota State Fair.
Rep. Phyllis Kahn
Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis: I always do a stint at the House booth in the State Fair. That’s an incredibly positive thing to do, even talking to the people who don’t like me. I do that three times a State Fair session. I also work the DFL donut booth for half a day, then what’s nice about that is it gives me four days at the fair to hang out, I don’t have to do everything in one day.
Sen. Michelle Benson
Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake: I love to get back in touch with agriculture, which is a huge industry in this state, but so many people are disconnected from it. I really like seeing new things in some of education buildings. There’s also the people watching, and running into people you know but don’t see outside politics. I usually run into [Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner] Myron Frans over at the milk exhibits.
Sen. Jeff Hayden
Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis: I like listening to Minnesotans, getting a sense of what they’re thinking, what’s on their mind. It’s a great opportunity, especially as a metro area legislator, to hear from greater Minnesota. I think it’s great to hear directly from suburban, rural, deep rural Minnesotans. That’s helpful for a guy like me, it helps you understand Minnesota’s history and its legacy.
Rep. Matt Dean
Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dillworth: It seems like the State Fair is a time people are starting to think about politics. The kids are going back to school. It’s the end of the summer, people are focusing in on issues, and it’s a good time to connect. The time of year is kind of ripe for people to focus in, and it’s the great get-together for the state.
Rep. Tony Cornish
Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center: I never go to the fair looking to gain anything out of politics. I never worked the Republican booth, I’ve never visited the DFL booth. I go for completely my own satisfaction and cheese curds and sweet corn. When I was a game warden I worked numerous times at the fair in the information booth. I found that to be a great learning experience, and I probably set a record on the breaks with the number of pronto pups I ate.
