The DFL and Republican gubernatorial candidates, Tim Walz and Jeff Johnson, were both at the State Fair on Thursday, greeting fairgoers who turned out on opening day. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Great Minnesota Get-Together is perhaps more accurately described as the Great Voter Get-Together for politicians trying to meet as many voters as possible ahead of this year's midterm election.

The DFL and Republican gubernatorial candidates, Tim Walz and Jeff Johnson, were both at the State Fair on Thursday, greeting fairgoers who turned out on opening day.

At the state Republican Party booth, there have been candidate panels every day since the fair kicked off. On Sunday, the party's two U.S. Senate candidates, Karin Housley and Jim Newberger, will be participating in a 2 p.m. forum. Next weekend, attorney general candidate Doug Wardlow and state auditor hopeful Pam Myhra will speak Saturday and Johnson and his running mate Donna Bergstrom are scheduled for a Sunday panel.

Candidates will be chatting with voters at the state DFL Party booth, but a spokesman said they will not hold candidate panels this year.

In the Education Building, members and staff from the state House and Senate are talking to voters and gathering opinions on issues like firearm background checks and recreational marijuana use.

"I hope everyone who goes to the State Fair stops by the House of Representatives booth to vote in the annual House opinion poll and chat about what's on their mind," Rep. Drew Christensen, R-Savage, said in a statement.

about the writer

Jessie Van Berkel

Reporter

Jessie Van Berkel is the Star Tribune’s social services reporter. She writes about Minnesota’s most vulnerable populations and the systems and policies that affect them. Topics she covers include disability services, mental health, addiction, poverty, elder care and child protection.