FarmFest to hold candidate forums for Minnesota’s First District, gubernatorial races

MORGAN, Minn. (KEYC) - For most Minnesota candidates, the road to public office runs through FarmFest, and candidate forums are on this year’s slate once again.

Forums for 2022 will include candidates for Minnesota governor and a special forum for Minnesota’s First Congressional District.

FarmFest runs Tuesday through Thursday, Aug. 2-4, at Gilfillan Estates in Redwood County.

Day one will feature a forum for candidates in the First Congressional District special election, as well as another forum featuring candidates from the Second, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Congressional Districts.

The gubernatorial candidate’s forum is being held on day two.

Candidate forums have been an election year FarmFest tradition since 1990, allowing the public a chance to hear directly from the candidates.

”They hear the names and maybe see the ads on TV, but not often do they get to hear the candidates in-person talking about issues,” said Kent Thiesse, farm management analyst at MinnStar Bank. “The other unique thing about FarmFest is that we do keep the focus on issues related to agriculture and rural families and rural communities, rather than the bigger, broader national issues.”

The First Congressional District candidate forum is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, while the gubernatorial candidate forum takes place next at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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