Poll: Franken Trails In Minnesota Senate Race
Senate Democrats could have some trouble in the closely watched Minnesota Senate race, where Al Franken is trying to beat freshman GOP Sen. Norm Coleman. The latest poll from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:
Coleman (R) 51%
Franken (D) 44%Sample size: 1,117 registered voters.
Margin of error: ±3.6%
Coleman is viewed favorably by 53% of poll respondents, with 33% view him unfavorably. Franken, meanwhile, is still having trouble becoming a credible candidate, with 33% viewing him favorably and 39% unfavorably.
Franken has been hurt recently by news that his businesses failed to pay taxes in all the states where he was active, and his agreement to pay $70,000 in total back taxes to multiple states.
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I am so angry about this. Practically anyone else could have beat Coleman. Who told Franken he would make a good candidate? Bozo the Clown?
May 19, 2008 8:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Two other folk stepped up and the Primary voters cast thier ballots for Franken.
May 19, 2008 1:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Franken was an extremely bad choice for a first time candidate. Especially a first time candidate for Senate. Was there no one else in Minnesota that could have run? Even a small town mayor could be polling better.
May 19, 2008 9:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
>>>Was there no one else in Minnesota that could have run?
Um, he flat out won the Dem primary.
>>>Al Franken on the other hand is abrasive and snotty
According to who? Or what? You make stark claims like that but there's nothing behind it besides your own bias. Every message I've seen from his campaign has been RIGHT ON THE MONEY.
Ya want facts, here ya go:
In March 2004, Bush-Cheney spokeswoman Steve Schmidt said of Gov. Pawlenty and Coleman, "Senator Coleman is one of the party's most effective spokesmen and advocate for the president's message.” [Star Tribune, 3/29/04]
While introducing Bush in 2002 at a rally Coleman said, “George Bush is a leader for our times. When we sing 'God Bless America,' it is a prayer, and I believe this person is part of God's answer.” [Pioneer Press, 10/19/02]
He opposed removing Rove's security clearance while he was under investigation for leaking Plame's name.
As mayor of St. Paul he "refused to sign a city proclamation celebrating the annual gay pride festival."
In 2004, Coleman issued a press release pledging his support for a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would ban any state from recognizing same-sex marriage.
On January 30, 2006, it was reported that Norm Coleman's staff had been actively editing his entry on Wikipedia, removing critical references to his voting record and revising the description of his former political leanings.
He is funded by conservative PACs and Lobbyists ($1,666,236 in PAC money in the 2008 cycle alone).
His top 10 contributors in 2008:
Target Corp $147,300
UnitedHealth Group $48,950
Travelers Companies $41,500
Contran Corp $39,825
Wells Fargo $39,650
3M Co $39,504
Xcel Energy $37,700
Blank Rome LLP $36,500
Qwest Communications $31,700
Cargill Inc $30,650
May 19, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey Shrubbit, we're on the same side. I said I didn't like Coleman. I also said I endorse Franken's worldview - I think he's smart and funny, and often correct - "RIGHT ON THE MONEY" to coin a phrase...
But warm and cuddly he ain't. He IS abrasive. Have you seen him on Letterman? And snotty. He didn't title one of his books "Lies (And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them): A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right" because he was trying to be conciliatory.
I agree with most of what he says, and think he'd be a great senator. But historically America, and certainly Minnesota, doesn't elect the abrasive snotty candidate over the empty but pleasant one.
May 19, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
He'll pull it out in the end, especially with the help of a new flood of Obama supporters to the polls in Minnesota in November, he'll get there.
May 19, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Lux,
I hope you are right. I am still supporting the Democrat candidate over Coleman any day of the week.
May 19, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Franken's candidancy is not about someone else choosing a person to run. Franken's candidancy is one individuals choice to attempt to correct a wrong,
Franken ran because he had a right to walk away from several lucrative careers and seek to serve the public at large. Franken has a duty to be the best candidate he can be. Franken's obligation is to do the best he can do for the folks he will be serving. He gets that.
It is our job to mold him into the best person for the job and support him. I continue to believe that he will do a passionate job and earn to admiration of those he seeks to represent.
It is time that American Citizens contribute to the building of their future. Franken is attempting to do just that. Sitting at your computer and whinning lacks constructive action.
May 19, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a Minnesotan, these numbers are not at all surprising.
Franken is the presumptive nominee not because he beat his rivals in a primary, but because he has done very well in the DFL endorsement process in which only the most die-hard Democrats participate.
I continue to predict that Coleman wins because he is a far better politician than most TPM readers are willing to admit to and because Franken is far too caustic for Minnesota. The fact that Franken has also spent the past month or so dealing with stupid and completely avoidable personal financial scandals doesn't help either.
(Memo to all potential candidates out there, before you begin your run for senator, congresswoman, dog-catcher: make sure you have paid ALL of your taxes, its not really that complicated).
The only thing that can save Franken will be a huge Obama tidal wave, which could happen, but its sad that is what its going to take in what should have been a very winnable race.
May 19, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yo! Franken did play all his taxes in New York and now as paid them all a second farging time to the respective other states. FRAKEN PAID HIS TAXES TWICE.
Take time to grok that Republican spanking points are by default . . . horseshit.
May 19, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mike Ciresi, a very prominent Minnesota trial lawyer who was responsible for securing millions for the State from the tobacco companies also ran for the party endorsement.
Unfortunately, Ciresi failed to ignite sufficient excitement amongst the aforementioned party insiders and dropped out a few months ago. Its a real shame because he is the kind of generic Democrat that would have kept the spotlight on Coleman.
Franken's remaining challenger for the party endorsement, Pallmeyer, is so far to the left that Coleman would win in a landslide over him. Think McCain v. Kucinich.
May 19, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a Minnesota resident, I'm not particularly fond of Coleman. He was a Democrat when he was mayor of St Paul, then switched parties when it became apparent his ambitions were better served as a Repub. His picture appears under the definition of "opportunism" in the dictionary.
But he is slick and smooth. He sounds authentic spouting nonsense on topics he knows nothing about. He's photogenic and apparently good-natured.
Al Franken on the other hand is abrasive and snotty. Personally I love and agree with his worldview, but Minnesotans instinctively shun people who aren't "nice". I don't hold out much hope for him.
May 19, 2008 10:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jesse Ventura might run for this seat too!
I don’t care what anyone says. I voted for him and I would vote for him again.
He got the light rail in and I think he would go blue more than people think…
May 19, 2008 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jesse has been dropping "hints" about running for something, to steadily increasing apathy, every time he has a book to shill for. The only ones who pretend to believe him or care are the press, to whom he's an irresistable cliche...
May 19, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really? Is there a history in Minnesota of the primary winner not being the nominee? That seems very odd.
May 19, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK folks. There seems to be some confusion about how things work in this Senate primary in Minnesota, so here's the scoop from a local. The primary has not yet occurred. The caucus back in Feb merely started the process of allocating delegates to the Dem nominating convention, which I believe is in June. However, the three major candidates (Franken, Ciresi, Nelson-Pallmeyer) agreed to honor the convention choice, so the primary is moot. No one has won the Dem primary or endorsement yet. Since Franken gets the national and blogosphere attention, it's assumed he's got the Dem nomination wrapped up, but that's not true.
Since Ciresi dropped out, Nelson-Pallmeyer is Franken's main opponent. And I would disagree that he's too far to the left to get elected in MN. I only need a one-word argument: Wellstone. In my opinion, Nelson-Pallmeyer would make a far better candidate for MN. He stays on message, is principled, is a true progressive, and could not be hit with endless SNL skit attack ads. All he needs is more $$, which would come rolling in if he get the Dem endorsement.
May 19, 2008 3:28 PM | Reply | Permalink