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Al Franken another vulnerable Senate Dem
American Thinker ^ | 08/14/2014 | Thomas Lifson

Posted on 08/14/2014 7:50:50 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

For some reason, Al Franken has not appeared on many lists of vulnerable Senate Democrats. But he is no shoo-in for re-election in November, as John Feehery reminds us in the Wall Street Journal:

In several polls the incumbent, a former Saturday Night Live star, can’t break the 50% mark. Given his narrow victory in 2008 (which some say wasn’t a real victory), it’s probably not that surprising that Mr. Franken is still a polarizing figure.

But after six years in the Senate, one might expect that the incumbent would have built a more comfortable cushion for himself.

When I talked to the challenger at an event a couple of months ago, he told me that Mr. Franken is struggling because he never goes home and talks to real people.

It is true that incumbents who can’t break 50% are vulnerable, since last minute deciders usually don’t break for the known quantity still in office. Add to that the prospect of a wave election, and Franken may be forced back into reading scripts written by smarter people han he (as he did on the former radio network Air America).

Another reason Mr. McFadden is likely to win: Minnesotans have a history of turning on failing presidents. In 1978, they voted out the two Democrats who represented the state as protest against Jimmy Carter. In 1990, Paul Wellstone beat Rudy Boschwitz amid the George H.W. Bush recession. By 2009, Minnesota was represented by two Democrats, a certain reaction to the George W. Bush presidency.

The Obama undertow will not lift the Franken boat. Instead, it will probably sink it.


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: 2014midterms; alfranken; mn2014; senate
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To: SeekAndFind

I was going to criticize MN for electing Franken but I live in a state that keeps putting that moron Bra-bra Boxer back in the Senate every 6 years!


21 posted on 08/14/2014 8:26:33 AM PDT by Signalman
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To: SeekAndFind

Don’t worry - Franken will find all the votes he needs in the trunks of cars or boxes in church basements.


22 posted on 08/14/2014 8:26:45 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: SeekAndFind

We can certainly hope so


23 posted on 08/14/2014 8:31:18 AM PDT by Nifster
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To: SeekAndFind

Franken has a comfortable lead at the moment, and tricks up his sleeve for later. And accomplices in the press who will help him find whatever number of votes he needs. Recount them until you get it right, is his motto.


24 posted on 08/14/2014 8:32:48 AM PDT by Tanniker Smith (Rome didn't fall in a day, either.)
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To: Signalman

RE: but I live in a state that keeps putting that moron Bra-bra Boxer back in the Senate every 6 years!

And you have Dianne Frankenstein as well. And let’s not mention, Governor Moonbeam who has been there from time immemorial and of course, your state legislature, which is TOTALLY CONTROLLED by the ‘Rats.


25 posted on 08/14/2014 8:33:05 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: Tanniker Smith

Forget it, Jake, it’s Minnesota.


26 posted on 08/14/2014 8:33:13 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: PGR88

Somebody once said that if an election is not close, then they can’t cheat.

Al Franken won that disputed election because of shenanigans and a questionable court decision.

But the reason they were able to do that is because the election was so close.

Norm Coleman was ahead on election night by about 700 votes. The Democrats somehow found about 1000 extra votes through the recounting to put Franken ahead by about 300 votes. And that was the “official” final margin of victory.

Point is, if Coleman had been ahead by 10,000 or 15,000 votes on election night, none of what happened could have happened with recount shenanigans.

Sad to say, a Republican has to win by a comfortable margin in order to actually win elections. Any close election will go to the Democrat in a recount.

Even in the Bush/Gore Florida recount of 2000, Gore gained over 1000 votes statewide. Bush was ahead on election night by 1,900 votes, but each recount narrowed the margin. The final margin of victory was 537 votes. So Gore picked up about 1,400 votes in that recount, even though he still ended up losing.

The rule is, Democrats always gain votes, if an election is close enough to go to a recount. The best hope for the GOP is to be ahead by a strong enough margin on election night so that you don’t get to the recount process in the first place.


27 posted on 08/14/2014 8:33:36 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (s)
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To: SeekAndFind

Anyone who really believes Franken if vulnerable is kidding themselves.


28 posted on 08/14/2014 8:34:06 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: DManA

Hopefully TTV is on this race.


29 posted on 08/14/2014 8:34:56 AM PDT by Kenny (,)
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To: Vigilanteman

Good point.


30 posted on 08/14/2014 8:45:32 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Liberal is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: Signalman
Yep. We've elected the village (male) idiot of the U.S. Senate twice, from the same town where Joe Biden grew up.

Bob Casey, Jr. is probably grateful Biden got promoted to VP so he only has Franken to compete with for that title.

The contenders for (female) village idiot is a little more intense. However, I believe that Patty Bin Murray from Washington would beat out Babs.

31 posted on 08/14/2014 8:50:18 AM PDT by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: SeekAndFind

...he is no shoo-in for re-election in November....

&&&
Horsefeathers! He stole the election last time, and he’ll steal it again.


32 posted on 08/14/2014 9:25:31 AM PDT by Bigg Red (31 May 2014: Obamugabe officially declares the USA a vanquished subject of the Global Caliphate.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Franken’s election was by fraud with stuffed ballot boxes full of Franken votes conveniently being found when the election was razor thin. I don’t think his performance as US Senator has been inspiring even to liberal Minnesotans so unless the election is again razor thin I don’t see him a shoo in for reelection.


33 posted on 08/14/2014 9:34:03 AM PDT by The Great RJ
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To: DManA

You must have missed the one where he is coaching little kids’ football. Gets hit in the swimsuit area and finishes the commercial in a very high voice.

He’s not taking this seriously.

Franken in a landslide.


34 posted on 08/14/2014 9:44:06 AM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (Please $upport Free Republic.)
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To: PGR88

“Don’t worry - Franken will find all the votes he needs in the trunks of cars or boxes in church basements.”

And if needed the Judges on the MN Supreme court carry extra ballots under their robes. Even the former NFL players.


35 posted on 08/14/2014 10:11:47 AM PDT by BarbM (Portuguese Dog Kenyan president)
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To: SeekAndFind

Losing his seat is not enough.
He needs to be tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail.


36 posted on 08/14/2014 10:27:39 AM PDT by Fear The People (When the government fears the people, you have LIBERTY.)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

OMG. I did miss that. Does he really think he can win by out clowning a professional clown?


37 posted on 08/14/2014 11:39:51 AM PDT by DManA
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To: DManA

And you know that Franken’s ads have been dead serious, even getting ‘conservatives’ to speak on his behalf.


38 posted on 08/14/2014 12:02:52 PM PDT by ButThreeLeftsDo (Please $upport Free Republic.)
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To: ButThreeLeftsDo

Yea. I had know idea it was legal to sell poisoned peanut butter. Thank God for funny boy.


39 posted on 08/14/2014 2:04:39 PM PDT by DManA
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To: dfwgator

“Forget it, Jake, it’s Minnesota.”

The only state not to vote for Ronald Reagan’s re-election.


40 posted on 08/14/2014 3:02:02 PM PDT by Luke21
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