Minnesota Senate Race

Norm Coleman (R) v. Al Franken (D)

Minnesota has always had interesting politicians. Governor Jesse Ventura was a professional wrestler before he became the state governor. Now, Minnesotans will decide whether to vote into the Senate a professional satirist and comedian. Saturday Night Live to Air America isn’t the most likely path to the Hill, but Al Franken is taking that path.

Franken is probably as progressive as former Senator Paul Wellstone was, and in this only-sometimes-liberal state, he has a tough campaign ahead of him. His frank talk and outspoken manner, especially from his Al Franken Show days and his blog on the Huffington Post, give Republicans a lot to work with. The campaign’s focus has fluctuated between the issues and Franken’s colorful comedy, giving Norm Coleman the second star-studded race of his career (in 1998, Coleman ran against and lost to Jesse Ventura in the three-way gubernatorial race . . . and the former Governor may do it to Coleman again if he decides to enter this race . . . Ventura has been toying with the idea of entering the senate race, in case it wasn’t already interesting enough!)

First-term Senator Norm Coleman, the Republican and former mayor of St. Paul, came to the senate by beating former Vice President Walter Mondale after Senator Paul Wellstone was killed in a plane crash only days before the 2002 election. Minnesota has voted Democratic in the last two presidential elections and the state is trending Democratic, but that won’t stop Minnesotans from seriously considering giving Republican Coleman a second term. Coleman has been leading Franken in the polls throughout this very expensive (over $25 million so far) race, although his lead has fluctuated a lot, usually within a 10-point spread and sometimes within the margin of error. This seat is rated a toss up.