Senate race is dropping down the line

Posted at 9:27 AM on June 13, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The Fix is dropping Minnesota's Senate race down the line. Here's why:

9. Minnesota (R): Al Franken giveth and Al Franken taketh away. After running a nearly error-free primary campaign that all but cleared the field for him, Franken has endured more than a month of negative stories that have some Democrats wondering if nominating him, which the party officially did earlier this month, might have been a mistake. The latest problem for Franken? The unearthing of a column he penned for Playboy magazine nearly a decade ago on Internet pornography, which led to Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat who backed Franken's opponent in the primary, to condemn the candidate. Not good. And Sen. Norm Coleman (R) has begun advertising with commercials that effectively paint the incumbent as a bipartisan dealmaker. All is not lost for Democrats, as there is plenty of time for Franken to regain his footing. But make no mistake: He has slipped. (Previous ranking: 7)

The Fix says Virginia's Senate race is the most likely to switch parties.

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