Talk about a corny idea …

The Norm Coleman-Al Franken battle for Minnesota’s U.S. Senate seat is now seven months and counting, and the state’s voters of every political sway are understandably weary of it all. But that hasn’t stopped at least one pro-Franken group from using humor to add fuel to the political firestorm.

Late last week, the group Americans United for Change decided to point out (in their minds) the ridiculousness of a stance taken by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty – a politician with White House aspirations. He has refused to sign the election certificate that would allow Franken to assume office and get to work. They sent Pawlenty a basket of Iowa corn, in a nod to the Iowa caucus, which traditionally kicks off the presidential election season.

Their message: Stop putting your White House dreams ahead of the needs of the North Star State. But wait, it gets better. The basket was delivered by a 6-foot-2, 290-pound guy dressed in a corn costume. Who in their right mind would do this?

Meet Xavier Lopez-Ayala, 21, a recent college graduate from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. He now lives in Minneapolis and, according to him, has grown increasingly frustrated with watching state services dwindle as Minnesota’s economy continues to suffer amid the recession. It reminds him, Lopez-Ayala said, too much of the woes long endured by residents in Michigan.

When the folks over at Americans United for Change decided to send their package of snarky produce, they realized that maybe -- just maybe -- the corn itself wasn’t a clear enough message. They asked Lopez-Ayala, the group’s new media director, to find a costume.

“I did a search for costume shops in Minneapolis,” Lopez-Ayala said. “The first site listed had corn for rent.” (Gotta love Google.)

So Friday afternoon, Lopez-Ayala squeezed his husky frame into the foam cob, hefted the wicker basket and headed to the state Capitol in St. Paul.