Coleman concedes race to Franken
Republican Norm Coleman has conceded to Democrat Al Franken in the Minnesota Senate race, ending one of the longest Senate races in American history and clearing the way for Democrats to hold a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate.
Coleman’s concession, given from the front of his St. Paul home, came just a few hours after the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously ruled Franken the winner of last November’s Senate race. In a 5-0 decision, the court upheld a three-judge panel’s April 14 ruling that Franken defeated Coleman in the race by 312 votes out of 2.9 million cast. The 32-page opinion was remarkably decisive, picking apart and rejecting one Coleman legal claim after another.
In its final line of the ruling, the state Supreme Court said Franken is “entitled” under Minnesota law to “receive the certificate election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the certification today, clearing the way for Franken to be sworn in early next week when the Senate returns from its weeklong recess.
“The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken, and I respect its decision and will abide by the result,” Coleman said. “It’s time for Minnesota to come together under the leaders it has chosen and move forward. I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States senator: Al Franken.”
Franken, in remarks outside his Minneapolis home about an hour after Coleman’s concession, said he expected to be seated early next week. Franken has already been told that he’s been named to two key committees — Health, Education and Labor and Pensions and Judiciary.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about fact that when I’m sworn in, I’ll be the 60th member of the Democratic caucus,” Franken said. “That’s not how I view it. I’m going to Washington to be the second senator from the state of Minnesota.”
Democrats will now hold a 60-40 majority in the Senate, the largest the party has enjoyed in a generation. Sixty votes are needed to break filibusters, ensuring that if Democrats stay united, they would be able to cleave the GOP’s last lever of power in Washington. A Franken “yes” vote on health reform, climate change legislation and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor gives Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) even more of a margin for error on these major votes.
The significance of the Franken win was not lost on Senate Republicans, who say Democrats now own the agenda — all of it.
“The implications of this Senate race are particularly significant because the Democrats will now have 60 votes in the Senate,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “With their supermajority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over.”
Democrats are already celebrating the result.
Republican Norm Coleman has conceded to Democrat Al Franken in the Minnesota Senate race, ending one of the longest Senate races in American history and clearing the way for Democrats to hold a 60-seat supermajority in the Senate.
Coleman’s concession, given from the front of his St. Paul home, came just a few hours after the Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously ruled Franken the winner of last November’s Senate race. In a 5-0 decision, the court upheld a three-judge panel’s April 14 ruling that Franken defeated Coleman in the race by 312 votes out of 2.9 million cast. The 32-page opinion was remarkably decisive, picking apart and rejecting one Coleman legal claim after another.
In its final line of the ruling, the state Supreme Court said Franken is “entitled” under Minnesota law to “receive the certificate election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota.” Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed the certification today, clearing the way for Franken to be sworn in early next week when the Senate returns from its weeklong recess.
“The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken, and I respect its decision and will abide by the result,” Coleman said. “It’s time for Minnesota to come together under the leaders it has chosen and move forward. I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States senator: Al Franken.”
Franken, in remarks outside his Minneapolis home about an hour after Coleman’s concession, said he expected to be seated early next week. Franken has already been told that he’s been named to two key committees — Health, Education and Labor and Pensions and Judiciary.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about fact that when I’m sworn in, I’ll be the 60th member of the Democratic caucus,” Franken said. “That’s not how I view it. I’m going to Washington to be the second senator from the state of Minnesota.”
Democrats will now hold a 60-40 majority in the Senate, the largest the party has enjoyed in a generation. Sixty votes are needed to break filibusters, ensuring that if Democrats stay united, they would be able to cleave the GOP’s last lever of power in Washington. A Franken “yes” vote on health reform, climate change legislation and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor gives Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) even more of a margin for error on these major votes.
The significance of the Franken win was not lost on Senate Republicans, who say Democrats now own the agenda — all of it.
“The implications of this Senate race are particularly significant because the Democrats will now have 60 votes in the Senate,” said Texas Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. “With their supermajority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over.”
Democrats are already celebrating the result.
