Farmfest appearances and debate

All of the candidates for Minnesota Governor were present at Farmfest on Wednesday.

From an article appeariung online at The Duluth News Tribune (Candidate for Governor face off at Farmfest event, by Bill Salsbury):

More than 500 farmers and agribusiness workers waded through muddy fields to hear the spirited debate that featured mostly good-natured give-and-take among Hatch, Hutchinson and Pawlenty. This is the only debate scheduled before the Sept. 12 primary.

LOUREY EXCLUDED

Ironically, the only rural candidate for governor and the only one who has actually operated a farm was barred from participating in the event. State Sen. Becky Lourey of Kerrick, who is running against Hatch in the Sept. 12 DFL primary, was told the forum was open only to candidates who had been endorsed by their parties.

Lourey and her family bought a 240-acre farm in Pine County more than 30 years ago where they raised cattle, goats, sheep and hay. Like many young farmers coping with low commodity prices in the 1970s and early 1980s, they were forced to auction off their animals and equipment to pay off farm debts. They sold the land to finance their successful software business.

In a speech to a sparse crowd before the debate, Lourey said limiting the debate to "city guys" seemed strange. Later, she reminded reporters that Minnesota hasn't had a rural governor for 16 years. Pawlenty and Hatch are both suburbanites, while Hutchinson and Pentel are city guys.

Obviously there should be more debates before the Sept. 12th primary, with no exclusions of candidates to face off in that primary...

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