Minnesota Senate

Candidates

Norm Coleman*

Norm Coleman* (R)

Bio | Campaign Site

Al Franken

Al Franken (D)

Bio | Campaign Site

Polling Data

PollDateSampleColeman (R)Franken (D)Spread
RCP Average07/14 - 08/17--47.041.0Coleman +6.0
Minn. Pub. Radio08/07 - 08/17763 LV4041Franken +1
SurveyUSA08/13 - 08/14682 LV4639Coleman +7
Rasmussen08/13 - 08/13500 LV4946Coleman +3
Quinnipiac/WSJ/WP.com07/14 - 07/221261 LV5338Coleman +15

See All Minnesota Senate Polling Data

Race Summary

In the seat once held by Paul Wellstone, Norm Coleman faces a well-financed and well-known candidate. Democrat Al Franken, the former Saturday Night Live writer and actor, has been ramping up to run for a few years now.

After Democrat Amy Klobuchar defeated Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy in the 2006 race for Minnesota's other Senate seat, Coleman's vulnerability became apparent, and he immediately began distancing himself from the unpopular Bush administration.

Coleman, the former Demcratic mayor of St. Paul, is well-known across the state and favored to hold his seat, despite the apparent national Democratic tide and Minnesotans' penchant for electing unconventional candidates. Still, Franken's fundraising accumen will allow him to defend and attack Coleman through the airwaves, and as long as the state can get past any transgressions in his former life as a satirist, a national anti-GOP mood could be enough to send Franken to Washington.

Previous Elections

Senate
2002: Coleman 50, Mondale 47
1996: Wellstone 50, Boschwitz 41

President
2004: Kerry 51, Bush 48
2000: Gore 48, Bush 46
1996: Clinton 51, Dole 35

Demographics

Population (2007 est.): 5,197,621
Occupation: Blue Collar 23.3% | White Collar 62.3% | Gray Collar 14.4%
Race: White 88.2% | Black 3.4% | Hispanic 2.9% | Asian 2.9%

Polling Data

PollDateSampleColeman (R)Franken (D)Spread
RCP Average07/14 - 08/17--47.041.0Coleman +6.0
Minn. Pub. Radio08/07 - 08/17763 LV4041Franken +1
SurveyUSA08/13 - 08/14682 LV4639Coleman +7
Rasmussen08/13 - 08/13500 LV4946Coleman +3
Quinnipiac/WSJ/WP.com07/14 - 07/221261 LV5338Coleman +15
Rasmussen07/22 - 07/22500 LV4649Franken +3
SurveyUSA07/11 - 07/13641 LV5239Coleman +13
Rasmussen07/10 - 07/10500 LV4244Franken +2
Quinnipiac/WSJ/WP.com06/17 - 06/241572 LV5141Coleman +10
SurveyUSA06/10 - 06/12609 RV5240Coleman +12
Rasmussen06/11 - 06/11500 LV4845Coleman +3
Rasmussen05/21 - 05/21500 LV4745Coleman +2
MN Star-Tribune05/12 - 05/151203 A5144Coleman +7
SurveyUSA04/30 - 05/01615 RV5242Coleman +10
Rasmussen04/22 - 04/22500 LV5043Coleman +7
Rasmussen03/19 - 03/19500 LV4846Coleman +2
SurveyUSA03/11 - 03/11644 RV5141Coleman +10
McLaughlin & Associates (R)03/06 - 03/09500 LV4640Coleman +6
Rasmussen02/16 - 02/16500 LV4649Franken +3
Minn. Pub. Radio01/18 - 01/27917 A4043Franken +3
SurveyUSA11/02 - 11/05616 RV4844Coleman +4
Rasmussen10/31 - 10/31500 LV4942Coleman +7
SurveyUSA10/24 - 10/28692 RV4645Coleman +1
Rasmussen09/06 - 09/06500 LV4641Coleman +5
Mason-Dixon05/07 - 05/09625 RV5432Coleman +22
Rasmussen03/07 - 03/07500 LV4636Coleman +10
SurveyUSA02/12 - 02/13632 RV5735Coleman +22

All Commentary & News Stories

- Not So Funny: Jokes Working Against Franken - Time

- NYC Problem Dogs Franken Campaign - New York Sun

- Coleman's Relationship With GOP Operative - National Journal

- The Electoral Mega-State of MN, WI, IA - Barry Casselman, RealClearPolitics

- Franken's Playboy Article Riling Own Party - Minneapolis Star Tribune

- Al Franken Challenged from Left - Froma Harrop, Providence Journal

- Franken Pulls in $2.2 Million for Senate Run - Minneapolis Star Tribune