SPRINGFIELD - Against the backdrop of a federal corruption investigation and a looming election battle, Gov. Rod Blagojevich opened the 154th Illinois State Fair on Thursday.

The Chicago Democrat continued to assert that his inspector general's office has done what it's supposed to do to root out alleged corruption in the administration's hiring practices, which have become the focus of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

"Our systems are in place. Our systems are working," the governor said before quickly wading into the crowds that lined the streets for the fair's annual Twilight Parade.

The fair, which officially opens to the public this morning and runs through Aug. 20, marks the first visit to Springfield by Blagojevich since the end of the spring legislative session.

His Republican opponent, state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, continued to make that an issue in her campaign, holding a Wednesday news conference outside the unused Executive Mansion. At the parade Thursday, she said she is aware of concerns about corruption within the Blagojevich administration but said most people she talked to on the streets of Springfield were more concerned about high gasoline prices.

"You know what they are talking about more than anything is the gas," she said.

Topinka wants the governor to call a special session of the General Assembly to take action on capping the state's sales tax on gas. Such a move could bring down prices at the pump.

"It would make good common sense to me to make that happen," Topinka said.

Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 782-1249.