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MN-Sen

Minnesota Senate Race

Incumbent

Norm Coleman
Party

Republican
Seeking Re-election?

Yes
Candidate Website
Senate Website
Campaign Website
Other Resources
Congresspedia profile on Norm Coleman

Challenger

Al Franken
Party

Democratic
Source of Information
Formally announced (2/14/07)
Candidate Website

Candidate website
Midwest Values PAC (chair)
Fundraising Link

ActBlue
Contribution Data

FEC
Other Resources
Congresspedia profile on Al Franken

Withdrawn Challenger Mike Ciresi (attorney, ran in 2000)
Party

Democratic (DFL)
Source of Information
active campaign website
Newspaper story
Candidate Website Campaign Website;
FEC webpage
Other Resources
Congresspedia profile on Mike Ciresi

Challenger

Bob Olson, attorney and founder of American Sustainable Energy Council.
Party

Democratic (DFL)
Source of Information

MN Blue, 6/1/07
Candidate Website

Campaign Website
Other Resources
Congresspedia Profile on Bob Olsen

Challenger Jim Cohen, activist and attorney
Party
Democratic (DFL)
Source of Information Will announce candidacy on 7/11/07
Candidate Website

Campaign Website
Other Resources
Congresspedia Profile on Jim Cohen

Potential Challenger

R.T. Rybak
Party DFL - Democrat - Mayor of Minneapolis
Source of Information

Twin Cities Pioneer Press
Candidate Website



Potential Challenger

Peter Agre
Party

Democratic (DFL)
Source of Information MN Campaign Report rumor
CQ Politics, 5/23/07
Background Nobel Prize winning chemist & Duke University professor

Potential Primary Challenger Joe Repya
Party

Republican
Source of Information

The Hill, 6/13/07
Background Iraq vet, retired Lt. Col., fmr. adviser to Sen. Coleman

Potential Challenger Dean Johnson (former State Sen. Maj. Leader)
Party

Democrat (DFL)
Source of Information

Local Media (click here)
Background Party Leader in State Senate

Potential Challenger

Becky Lourey (State Sen.)
Party

Democrat (DFL)
Source of Information

speculation (My DD)
Background Son Matt killed in Iraq May of 2005.
Link to Senate site:St. Sen. Becky Lourey website

Potential Challenger Chris Coleman (St. Paul Mayor)
Party

Democrat (DFL)
Source of Information

Roll Call- reg. req (mirror)
Candidate Website

2006 Campaign website

Potential Challenger

Dick Franson
Party

DFL- perennial candidate
Source of information

D. C. Political Report
Candidate Website

2006 Website

Potential Challenger

State Rep. Aaron Peterson
Party

DFL - Democrat
Source of Information

D. C. Political Report
Candidate Information
Rep. Aaron Peterson website

Potential Challenger

Donald E. Stephan
Party

DFL - Democrat
Source of Information

The Green Papers
Candidate Information

none located

Challenger

Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer
Party

DFL - Democrat
Source of information

Campaign Website
Candidate Information St. Thomas University Professor

Potential Challenger

John Lesch - St. Senator
Party

DFL - Democrat
Source of Information
D. C. Political Report
Media Report
Candidate Website
St. Rep. John Lesch website

Background Information

This Senate seat once belonged to the much-adored progressive Democrat Paul Wellstone. In 2002, Wellstone was up for re-election running against Republican Norm Coleman, when his small plane tragically crashed just 11 days before the election, killing his immediate family, a small contingent of campaign staff, and two pilots. After his death with the state in mourning, the state Democratic party scrambled to find a new nominee. They found one, former US Vice President Walter Mondale, who ultimately lost to Coleman 47% to 49%, despite only having entered the race days beforehand.

After an emotionally-charged memorial service for Wellstone which was political at some points, national conservative pundits criticized Democrats in an exceptionally dirty and dishonest manner, accusing them of trying to use Wellstone's death for political gain (see Al Franken's book Lies and the Lying Liars who tell them for more on this incident and the Republican smear-job afterwards).

Franken, a liberal comedian/best selling author/talk show personality, is considering a 2008 run against Coleman, to try and gain the seat Paul Wellstone, one of his personal heroes, once held. Franken, who moved his radio show to Minnesota from New York and founded Midwest Values PAC (which supported progressive Midwestern canadidates in the 2006 cycle) announced his candidacy formally on Valentine's day 2007- February 14.

Note: The Minnesota State Democratic party has been called the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) since 1944.

Issues

Democrats are planning to use Coleman's votes against stem-cell research in the 2008 campaign. Being against stem-cell research is code for being outside of the mainstream.

Resources

Below you will find resources relating to the 2008 Minnesota Senate race.

Coleman (Republican incumbent)

Official Senate website
Wikipedia: Norm Coleman
2008 Campaign website
On The Issues: Norm Coleman
Congresspedia: Norm Coleman

Franken (Democrat- potential challenger)

Official website
Wikipedia: Al Franken

Blogs

MNCampaignReport
MN Blue





Latest page update: made by benawu , Mar 15 2008, 9:28 PM EDT (about this update About This Update benawu Edited by benawu

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tricky5533 Polling 0 Aug 13 2007, 12:58 PM EDT by tricky5533
Thread started: Aug 13 2007, 12:58 PM EDT  Watch
Survey USA polling in late July has Coleman's approval rating in the negatives, with 43% approving and 48% disapproving. That's definitely near the incumbent dead zone.

However, Survey USA also found that Franken is either not veyr popular, or most people are taking his candidacy seriously. He's losing to Coleman in the poll.

Or, perhaps SurveyUSA polls just aren't that accurate...
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AlohaScott Its Wellstones seat, it belongs to a Wellstone 0 Jan 19 2007, 7:17 PM EST by AlohaScott
Thread started: Jan 19 2007, 7:17 PM EST  Watch
I would like to see one of Paul Wellstone's son (either David or Mark) elect to run for his fathers old senate seat. That would be a race I'd paid to see. Lets get the old green bus tuned up and running...
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TheDailyBackground Franken has not formally announced (yet) 0 Nov 24 2006, 8:29 PM EST by TheDailyBackground
TheDailyBackground
Thread started: Nov 24 2006, 8:29 PM EST  Watch
Although Franken has not formally announced (yet), he told Lou Dobbs on CNN a few days ago that he would be making the decision of whether to run or not with his family over Thanksgiving weekend. So the earliest possible announcement would be next week.
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Loispots Senate approval ratings - November 2006 0 Nov 24 2006, 1:28 PM EST by Loispots
Thread started: Nov 24 2006, 1:28 PM EST  Watch
Norman Coleman's voter approval ratings are 48% approve, 43 disapprove, in the Nov 06 SurveyUSA tracking poll. An incumbent with less than 50% approval is a good indicator for a challenge, like ripe for unseating. Watch the ratings yourself at
http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/State100USSenatorApproval061122.htm.
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Loispots Wellstone Deserves a Worthy Successor 0 Nov 24 2006, 12:55 PM EST by Loispots
Thread started: Nov 24 2006, 12:55 PM EST  Watch
Keep in mind that Norman Coleman sits in the United States Senate due solely to the tragic death of Sen. Paul Wellstone just weeks before the election. The Democrats put up Walter Mondale to run in Wellstone's place - they probably could not have done better just days before the election - but Coleman squeezed in. The thought of a mediocre, conservative Republican sitting on Paul Wellstone's seat is nauseating. Minnesota - and America - needs a worthy successor to Senator Wellstone in this seat.
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