ST. PAUL — Better late than never? Gov. Mark Dayton hopes so as he delivers a later-than-usual State of the State address.

Dayton was going before a joint session of the Legislature on Wednesday night to give an appraisal of Minnesota. Governors usually give the speech toward the start of the legislative session to lay out their objectives.

This speech comes less than three weeks from the required adjournment. The Democratic governor spent the session’s early weeks recovering from hip surgery.

This will be the latest State of the State address in Minnesota since the April 21 speech by Democratic Gov. Rudy Perpich in 1977. Some Republicans have complained it smacks of an election-year political speech.

Dayton is gearing up to run for re-election but bracing for a tough challenge in November.