Free Republic

Franken Declared Winner of Minnesota Senate Election, Giving Dems Filibuster-Proof Majority After the Minnesota high court rejects a legal challenge from Norm Coleman, the Republican concedes to Democrat Al Franken in the state's Senate race. Democrat Al Franken, right, with his wife Frannie Franken smile as they meet the media at their house in MInneapolis Tuesday June 30, 2009 after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Democrat in the Senate race against Republican Norm Coleman. (AP) Democrat Al Franken as the winner of the state's vacant Senate seat after the state's high court ruled that Republican challenger...

With two weeks to go until Election Day, the exceptionally volatile and closely watched U.S. Senate race in Minnesota has tightened up. The latest Star Tribune Minnesota Poll shows DFLer Al Franken at 39 percent to Republican Sen. Norm Coleman's 36 percent. Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley was the choice of 18 percent of likely voters.

Ask former Mayor Norm Coleman for his résumé and he says, "It's called the City of St. Paul." Request his policy positions and the Republican U.S. Senate candidate replies, "St. Paul is my white paper." In his campaign to unseat Democrat Paul Wellstone, Coleman tells voters he wants to do for Minnesota and the nation what he did for the city when he was its mayor: create jobs and economic opportunity, reduce crime and improve education, all without increasing taxes. Minnesotans are inclined to accept the image he projects. Voters across the state credit Coleman for revitalizing St. Paul and...