Candidates for Blue Earth County Commissioner gather for a public forum tonight.They're discussing what they think are the biggest issues facing the county.Fox Mankato's Ryan Gustafson has the story.Running for the open District 2 commissioner seat, four candidates of varying backgrounds tried to separate themselves from the pack.The economy is expected to be the main theme in the Congressional and statewide elections, and it was the unanimous answer to moderator Jonathan Zierdt's first question about the most pressing issue for the county.Robert Finley says, "Blue Earth County alone can't do a whole lot with the economic factors here. I think it has to be a partnership, a collaborative effort with several cities, school districts, all of those things need to be brought in."That idea was echoed by Vance Stuehrenberg, who wants to combine redundant services between the county and the city of Mankato.Vance Stuehrenberg says, "We can work with the IT, parks, engineering - there's many areas where we can get together and save citizens money, but still have the same services."For Steve Meyer, the focus is on the cost of county employees, especially the cost of health care.Steve Meyer says, "Those are the types of things that you can fix. And just as in business, public service, city, county - we all have to do more for less."Reggie Edwards says the county should focus on ways to reduce the strain on the county's health and court systems.Reggie Edwards says, "What the county can do to spur economic development, to grow our economy, to help us be healthier, is try to help us figure out how to shift the majority of the people that comes through the county into producing, as it relates to being productive citizens."The four candidates are heading into the primary election on August 10th.The top two vote-getters will make it on to the ballot in the general election.In Mankato, Ryan Gustafson, News 12.