WINONA, Minn. – Billboards that set up the Walz re-election campaign early are popping up. The billboards give Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, a head start against a large GOP field that’s delaying expensive advertising until the field narrows. Walz has no opposition for the Democratic nomination. The Walz billboards are paid for by Minneapolis-based Leadership Matters MN. The first wave of billboards has singular message: That Walz is big on jobs.
Stopped by train? Look up. A strategically placed Winona billboard, at Main Street and the tracks, has a captive audience for the 20 to 30 trains that back up traffic every day. The Louisiana-based billboard company Lamar charges a minimum of $750 a month per billboard. Urban sites cost more. Lighted signs cost even more. Electronic boards are as much as $14,000 a month. Image: Steve Lunde