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Politics-On-A-Stick At The State Fair

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Forget elections, conventions, debates, and television ads. This is my favorite political event of the year.

It's the once-a-year focus group, with a political spin.

The Great Minnesota Get-Together is where dozens of candidates and causes come to show and tell.

For instance, there are cute, furry Republican elephants, iconic Libertarians and the long line to meet Democratic Sen. Al Franken.

But you can also put yourself in a politician's shoes. At the Education Building, you have a chance to be Speaker of the Minnesota House, for just a moment.

And meeting the governor is easy. Gov. Mark Dayton says his goal this year is to "meet a lot of people, and drink a lot of chocolate malts."

What's missing at the fair this year? The harshness of past election years.

But if asked, fair-goers show frustration with government.

"The fact that we can't come to some consensus on important things, on anything," one fair-goer said.

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