Has your governor ever:

• been a bodyguard for the Rolling Stones?
• body slammed Hulk Hogan?
• had his own action figure?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you probably live in the great state of Minnesota.

Files

Ventura's inauguration speech.

RealVideo of the action figure commercial and the "Body Politic" commercial.

Debates, reports and more from Minnesota Public Radio...

Jesse Ventura, former wrestler, actor, radio shock jock, Vietnam veteran, Navy Seal, mayor and volunteer assistant high school football coach, who changed his nickname from Jesse "The Body" to Jesse "The Mind," won the Minnesota governor seat in November.

His victory was a stunner. He bypassed the Republican and Democratic parties and ran as an Independent. Promoting himself as a regular guy, Ventura said his government would represent everyday Minnesotans. He spoke in bumper-sticker libertarian sound bites like "Love is bigger then government," "Never forget it's the people's money," "You can't legislate against stupidity."

His message is clear. Jesse Ventura believes Democrats and Republicans are out of touch with most Americans, especially young people. Voters in Minnesota evidently agreed.

Ventura's status as a former professional wrestler and his off-beat commercials helped attract young people. Since Minnesota is one of the only states with instant registration, 18 and 19-year-olds lined up at the polls on election day, registered, and then cast their very first vote for Jesse "The Mind." Analysts say there is no doubt that without instant registration, Ventura would still be coaching high school football.

The newly elected governor recognizes this. Speaking at his inauguration (RealAudio), Governor Ventura pointed to the strong support he received from young people and the disenfranchised.

"We must not fail, because if we do, we could lose this generation. And we must not let that happen. It's those young people, it's those disenchanted voters we've reached out to and brought back to the system. We have to keep striving to do that."

Is Ventura really is a model for politicians of the future? Will he reward young voters by addressing issues that effect them? Time will tell.

Thus far, Ventura has received both praise and criticism. One of his first actions as governor was widely applauded. He chose 25 commissioners and department heads who traditionally make up the governor's cabinet. Even political foes admit he made wise decisions. The people he chose are well respected and have lots of experience. However, there are no African-American appointees, a point noted by a group of black ministers who visited the Capitol and delivered a letter of dissatisfaction to the governor's staff.

Ventura has identified one area that directly affects young people, education. The governor admits he has little experience in this area and says says he chose Mae Schunk to be his lieutenant governor (what a vice president is to the president), because she has been a teacher for 36 years. This doesn't mean he doesn't have opinions. Ventura is very pro public schools, he calls school busing a complete disaster, and says parents are partly to blame for the problems in public schools.

Thus far, Ventura has been opposed to putting more money into education. This caused friction recently between the governor and college students. More than a hundred students marched to the State House to protest tuition hikes. One student told Ventura he should walk a while in her shoes. Governor Ventura then lectured the single mother about responsibility. A shouting match erupted, forcing the governor to walk off amidst a cloud of boo's. Twenty students later went to Ventura's office to offer their apologies, but Ventura stuck to his opinion that "if you're smart enough to go to college you should be smart and creative enough to pay for it."

At the same time, many Minnesota Democrats would like to offer two years of tuition-free college for needy students. Ventura says, "If I were to go along with that program, here's how I'd switch it - I'd make it the last two years of college, that way you get the pikers out! That way you're gonna get the people that are gonna graduate! How many kids go to a year or two of college, drop out, and never see college again for the rest of their life? Yet you've got (some Democrats) wanting to pay for that first two years of 'National Lampoon's Animal House.'"

On the environment, Ventura is untested. The governor supports guns, hunting, and the conservation of parks and nature preserves. The most important environmental job in the state is the head of the Natural Resources Department. At first, Ventura chose a man who had a history of run-ins with conservation organizations. After people protested, he changed his mind and appointed Allen Garber, a former FBI chief whose views are unknown.

And even though he has referred to MinnesotaCare, the state's pioneering health insurance program for the working poor, as ``socialized medicine,'' his new health commissioner, Jan Malcolm, is a health-care industry veteran who is viewed as a supporter of government help for those without health insurance.

Ventura on the environment.

Jesse Ventura Web site

Rock the Vote

Vote-Smart's guide voting

Many of Ventura's proposals have personal twists. During his campaign he repeatedly complained about the $900 property tax he has to pay for his Porsche. He has proposed a flat tax of $35 a year.

He would like to pay his wife $25,000 a year, arguing that the salary would help make up for lose of the horse-breeding business she gave up to be the first lady of Minnesota. Ventura has also proposed that the law preventing him from carrying a concealed weapon in the Minnesota State House be changed. He says he needs a gun in case he's separated from his security team.

Like many states, the healthy economy has put extra money in Minnesota's pockets. Most politicians want to give the money back to the people with a tax rebate. Republicans would like reduce the income tax, the money taken out of people's pay checks, but Ventura argues that even people who don't work should share the wealth. The governor would like to send a check to every Minnesotan, repaying residents for sales tax, the money you pay when you buy something.

Although most people in Minnesota have been satisfied with their governor's performance thus far, his relationship with the press has definitely taken a turn for the worse since the election. Reporters say he was treated lightly during the campaign, and now that they have begun to ask tough questions and write critical articles, Ventura is mad. Ventura says the press is obnoxious and a nuisance.

In the newsrooms across the state, reporters are quietly taking bets on who will be the first to take a punch on the chin.

Does Jesse Ventura mark a new trend in politicians? Will he be successful with young people? Stay tuned.... NHextra will keep track of the situation.

And if you have something to add to this story... Tell us!!