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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| Withdrawn Challenger | Mike Ciresi (attorney, ran in 2000) |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 websiteWikipedia: Norm Coleman
2008 Campaign website
On The Issues: Norm Coleman
Congresspedia: Norm Coleman
Franken (Democrat- potential challenger)
Official websiteWikipedia: Al Franken
Blogs
MNCampaignReportMN Blue
Latest page update: made by benawu
, Mar 15 2008, 9:28 PM EDT
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Edited by benawu
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More Info: links to this page
| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tricky5533 | Polling | 0 | Aug 13 2007, 12:58 PM EDT by tricky5533 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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 | |
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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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