The major party candidates for governor reacted positively to news that a new baseball labor agreement will apparently prevent Major League Baseball from eliminating the Minnesota Twins for the next four years. The candidates learned of the tentative agreement shortly before appearing in an Minnesota Public Radio debate at the State Fair.

During that forum, Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tim Penny found himself the subject of pointed questions. Political insiders consider Penny the frontrunner in the governor's race, two months before the November election.