Quotes of the year from Albert Lea: Gutknecht and Walz

Memorable Quotations from Albert Lea
Sandwiched in with residents' exclamations about lakes burping methane gas and giant puffballs growing on lawns, notable quotables from the contestants in the Fighting First's congressional race appear in the Albert Lea Tribune:

“I’m just out shaking hands and kissing babies.” — U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht in Albert Lea in October. The Republican candidate failed to win a seventh term as the 1st District representative.

“I definitely never planned my life around doing this. But my life prepared me to do this. People were asking for a real citizen with leadership capability.” — Mankato teacher Tim Walz in February at the Albert Lea Union Center. DFL candidate Walz defeated Gutknecht to win the 1st District congressional seat.