Minnesota gubernatorial candidates face off in Farmfest forum

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ST. PAUL — Minnesota’s gubernatorial candidates faced off at Farmfest on Wednesday, just under a week out of the Aug. 11 primary.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the favorite for the DFL ticket in November, but the GOP is looking at a tight primary next Tuesday between the three leading candidates — GOP-endorsed Kendall Qualls, House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Mike Lindell, who was recently boosted by an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

The Wednesday, Aug. 5, forum drew a packed crowd and touched on a range of topics: urban and rural division, fraud, immigration, property taxes, animal agriculture, healthcare and biofuels.

The largest reaction from the crowd came when candidates were asked how they would lead the state if another immigration operation were to occur.

Demuth said she would support federal immigration laws; Qualls said he’d “eliminate” the idea of Minnesota being a sanctuary state; and Lindell said he’d enforce laws on protests and businesses hiring undocumented immigrants.

Klobuchar drew loud claps and boos when she said she’s long supported funding for “order at the border” but that the federal agency needs reform.

“None of my opponents on this stage condemned what ICE did,” she said. “Not a word. Not a word. Two innocent people were killed, shot in the back. We had many people arrested when they weren’t supposed to be arrested.”

Candidates appeared aligned on some agriculture issues, such as investing in the emerging biofuel industry and the next generation of farmers.

When asked how the candidates would stabilize animal agriculture, Klobuchar mentioned protecting animals from diseases like avian flu and hiring more large-animal veterinarians.

Demuth touted past investments in the Minnesota Board of Animal Health and said the state should ease permitting and regulations. Lindell said there are “a lot of problems” with monopolies in the meatpacking industry.

Qualls told attendees he wasn’t going to “claim to be an expert in your industry,” but noted the variability farmers face and said the state doesn’t need to be another challenge.

“Government doesn’t stabilize anything. If anything, they need to get off the backs of the people that are doing the work,” he said. “You shouldn’t need that guy on your back, and that big guy is the state. I’m going to get him off your back.”

While responding to a question on how state government can be modernized, Klobuchar and Demuth aligned on investments in upgrading IT infrastructure. In his response, Lindell touted his relationship with Trump.

“I know a guy,” he said. “I have an advantage over everyone up here. I can call up and work with the president of the United States.”

Every candidate came down hard on fraud, an issue that has been driving talking points for candidates across the board this campaign cycle.

Klobuchar said it “should have been caught earlier” and that Minnesotans and taxpayers were “victims” of fraud. She touted her work as a former prosecutor, then pitched her anti-fraud proposals including a top-to-bottom audit and surprise inspections.

Qualls called the fraud issue a “leadership problem issue,” calling for accountability from “the guy at the top, all the way down to the person who did it.”

He also pointed to “mega spending bills that funded the fraud programs” and Republicans who “co-signed” on those bills.

Lindell said fraud is the “biggest blessing our state’s ever had” because it opened eyes. He touted his running mate, Phillip Parrish, and his experience as a former naval intelligence officer.

Demuth said the fraud is a “direct result of incompetent Democrat control in this state for more than 16 years.” She touted her work from the last legislative session — establishing the state’s fraud prevention committee and whistleblower protections, and pushing through the Office of Inspector General.

“Let me tell you one thing: $10 billion of fraud in the state of Minnesota, $250 million to Feeding Our Future. Yet the state general fund account for agriculture here in the state of Minnesota is only $165 million,” Demuth said. “We are out of balance and need a different direction at the top of our state.”

During the candidates’ closing pitches, Klobuchar separated herself from her Republican opponents and said Minnesotans “do not need a governor who is a rubber stamp of Donald Trump.”

A U.S. Senate candidate forum was also held Wednesday. The GOP-endorsed candidate in that race, Adam Schwarze, did not participate in the debate because Farmfest said he didn’t meet their criteria for candidates.

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