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

Challenger

Dean Barkley
Party

Independent
Source of Information

politics1.com/mn
Candidate Website

Campaign Website
Other Resources



Challenger

James Niemackl
Party

Constitution
Source of Information

politics1.com/mn
Candidate Website

Campaign Website
Other Resources



Challenger

Charles Aldrich
Party

Libertarian
Source of Information

politics1.com/mn
Candidate Website


Other Resources


Challenger

Ernest Mailhot
Party

Socialist Workers/Write-In
Source of Information

politics1.com/mn
Candidate Website


Potential Challenger


Party


Source of Information


Candidate 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)

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

Franken (Democrat- potential challenger)

Wikipedia: Al Franken

Blogs

MN Blue




benawu
benawu
Latest page update: made by benawu , Sep 11 2008, 1:33 AM 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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