Governor Patrick Visits Victorian Fair

It took a while to get a moment with Gov. Deval Patrick at today's fair, but after making his way up and down Main Street and speaking with fair-goers, he took a few moments just before the end of the fair to answer questions from the press, such as: what brings him to Melrose?

"Melrose brings me to Melrose!" he said with a smile. "It's fun to walk around and talk to people and, most of all, listen to people. They always have insight, words of encouragement and coaching and all that."

There were plenty of politicians out campaigning at the fair today, but Patrick arguably doesn't need the name recognition the way other candidates might. So what does he get from talking with voters? Is he getting into discussions on the issues facing the state?

"I don't think most people are interested, at an occasion like this, in the down and dirty in policy," Patrick said. "but they want to give you a point of view. 'I like this, don't like this,' 'move that way, go this way,' but most of what I've heard today is a lot of encouragement, and I appreciate that."

Other politicians spotted at the fair included Congressman Ed Markey; State Senator and candidate for Lt. Governor Richard Tisei;  State Rep. Candidates Paul Brodeur, Monica Medeiros,  and Eric Estevez; State Senator Tom McGee; and, of course, Melrose Mayor Rob Dolan.