State lawmakers balance security with outreach at the Great Minnesota Get-Together

It’s a familiar sight for fairgoers: between corn dogs and tubs of cookies, politicians and candidates for elected office gladhanding their way through “The Great Minnesota Get-Together.”

The State Fair, which last year drew 1.9 million visitors, presents a major outreach opportunity for state and federal politicians. In election years, it’s chockfull of appearances by hopeful candidates.

“The Great Minnesota Get-Together is a place where food, politics and all of Minnesota come together,” said DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom.

But this year, the fair comes less than three months after the assassination of one elected official and attempted murder of another. The killings of state House DFL Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, have spotlighted the rise of political violence.

Vance Boelter is charged with several state and federal crimes in connection with the shootings.

Even so, some of the state’s leading elected officials say they plan to be there and note that fair organizers and law enforcement keep both politicians and fairgoers safe.

“The State Fair is a wonderful family experience, and my family is looking forward to going again this year,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said in a statement.

House and Senate staffers who coordinate the State Fair political poll at the Legislature’s booths say sign-ups are going fine.

Senate Secretary Tom Bottern said a handful of senators may be at the fair on any given day. For security reasons, staffers don’t advertise when the lawmakers will be at the booth. But those who volunteer can field questions from the public at the booth, which usually doesn’t get a ton of traffic.

It’s one of the “principal opportunities for members of the public to engage with senators,” Bottern said.

“The idea is to engage constituents, members of the public in Minnesota, and help them think about how state government works, how the state Legislature works,” Bottern said.

In the weeks after the shootings, lawmakers worried that the attacks would have a chilling effect on people opting to run for office, or make public outreach dangerous for lawmakers.

Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, was on the list. She said she has often felt like a target, and the assassination “brings all those feelings to the surface.”

But she said the State Fair is one of her favorite times of the year. It’s a rare opportunity to connect with Minnesotans from across the state and different walks of life and ideologies, she said.

“I want to be abundantly cautious if I’m going to go to the State Fair … and make sure that there is the highest level of security to ensure that we are going to be protected and we’re going to be OK, because you never know who’s going to show up and what’s going to happen,” she said.

Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia, said he tries to volunteer at the fair every year and is confident in the efforts of the fair’s police department to protect lawmakers and fairgoers alike.

“I certainly understand that people who have reservations. … I don’t have personal fears of attending the State Fair,” Nash said.

DFL officials are also working to provide security to office holders and candidates at campaign events, Carlbom said.

The party has requested an advisory opinion from the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board regarding whether it can spend on security for its candidates. A preliminary analysis from board staff says that would be permissible, but the board must vote before it can take effect. Its next meeting isn’t until after the fair.

Both the DFL and Republican parties would be able to pay for their candidates’ security if the board adopts the opinion.

Carlbom said the DFL is in frequent contact with the State Fair and its police department, and is impressed by the coordination. He said he feels good about “the balance between meeting the public where they’re at and feeling safe and secure at the State Fair.”

“I think people are going to be excited to meet Minnesotans where they’re at, and that’s usually in the Pronto Pup line or corndog line,” he said. “Grabbing a beer and munching on some mini doughnuts.”

Fair officials said in a statement that it recognizes that some guests at the fair are higher profile and may need additional security. Those fairgoers can arrange for licensed protection.

“As always, the State Fair Police Department is available to work collaboratively with security teams,” the statement said, “to ensure coordination and to support these visits within the broader public safety framework.”

Sydney Kashiwagi of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this story.