Gov.

Saturday, August 07, 1999

Gov. Jesse Ventura is out and about again, both in the state and around the country. He recently visited the Iron Range area, before heading out to a governors’ conference.

He’s also doing a promotional stop to appear on a wrestling-related show in order to drum up attention for his upcoming jaunt in the ring as a ref.

He doesn’t hold still much, the governor.

Which prompts the question: When are you coming back our way, Governor?

Ventura dropped in on Austin for a few moments on Election Day, 1998. He made an impressive appearance at Austin High School not long after being elected. Since then, appearances of the governor in the area have been, well, practically non-existent.

Come on, Mr. Governor, isn’t Minnesota considered an agricultural state? Isn’t this area of Minnesota rife with farmers and agricultural concerns?

It’s important to please the people in the Twin Cities, true. But as governor, you’re able to appear there every day. A trip every month or so into this corner of the state can only do good.

True, not many out this way voted for Ventura in 1998. Of course, he hadn’t shown his face out here, unlike both of the other candidates.

However, there are plenty of voters out here – and even more taxpayers – who’ve seen the governor flash his mug on televisions to promote a book or an appearance in the wrestling ring.

They’d be far more interested in seeing him person to person, beside a John Deere tractor or at the rail of a hog pen. It’s been good to see Ventura make plans for the budget and discuss how to handle rebates – issues which concern many Minnesotans. Now it would be good to see him make plans for the future of farming in the state.

As long as he’s on the road, a visit to the southeastern corner shouldn’t be too hard.