A Demand for Trump Gear in Rural Minnesota

Story published: October 22, 2020

Partisan politics is good for business. That is, if you're Gary McNeal. The Floridian is a self-styled "street peddlar" who makes his living selling merchandise at fairs, sporting events and during elections. This year, he's based himself in Minnesota and has opened a pop-up store selling pro-Trump gear in Buffalo, Minnesota. One Greater Minnesota Reporter Kaomi Goetz caught up with him to see what it is all about.

President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus the day after visiting Minnesota, where he met with Republican legislative leaders and three Minnesota members of Congress, who flew with him on Air Force One before Trump appeared in front of thousands. Prior to his diagnosis, Mary Lahammer spoke with local experts about the political change in the Northland.

A historic number of people is expected to vote by mail this November 2020, yet a top election official says that Minnesota might not look all that different. Political reporter Mary Lahammer interviewed Joe Mansky, who worked for decades in state and local elections offices, and agrees that the amount of national attention Minnesota is seeing in the presidential race is unusual.