Almost eight months since the November election, the Minnesota State Supreme Court ruled 5-0 in favor of Democrat Al Franken, who won the official recount by 312 votes.

Democrats had publicly pressured Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) to sign a certificate of election if the court ruled in favor of Franken, and they continued the push today. Pawlenty, who is in Washington today, has said he would sign a certificate if directed by the court to do so.

"I once again encourage Governor Pawlenty to respect the votes of his constituents and the decisions of his state's highest court," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) said in a statement today. "He should put politics aside, follow his state's laws and finally sign the certificate that will bring this episode to an end."

From the St. Paul Pioneer-Press:

It is U.S. Sen. Al Franken.

The Minnesota Supreme Court today decided that Franken, a Democrat, won the highest number of votes in last year's U.S. Senate race and deserves a signed election certificate.

The court said that Republican Norm Coleman didn't prove that a lower court made mistakes requiring a rehearing of the case. Coleman had asked the court to order thousands of rejected absentee ballots counted. He had hoped the counting would allow him to overcome Franken's 312-vote lead.

The court's decision brings to an end the seven-month state fight over the Minnesota Senate race. Franken has had a lead since January and a trial court decided in April that he won the highest number of legally cast votes.

Should Coleman not continue his legal battle in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, and if Franken is certified the winner, Democrats would have a 60-seat majority in the Senate.

In a statement released shortly after the decision was announced, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (N.J.) said:

"Congratulations to Senator-elect Franken for today's courtroom victory affirming his electoral victory. As we've seen over the past 238 days, no matter how many times Norm Coleman goes to court, the result of the election never changes: Al Franken earned more votes than Norm Coleman. Al Franken was elected to the Senate and he ought to be able to get to work for the people of Minnesota. We've always said that Norm Coleman deserved his day in court, and he got eight months. Now we expect Governor Pawlenty to do the right thing, follow the law, and sign the election certificate. From health care to the Supreme Court to getting our economy moving again, the challenges facing us are complex and we need Al Franken in the Senate. In this historic and urgent moment in our history, Minnesotans have gone long enough without full representation. Al Franken will be an critical voice on the issues before us and it's time to let him get to work."