Franken and Coleman top fundraising for Senate races
Newly released numbers from the Federal Election Commission show Al Franken and Norm Coleman raised more money than any other U.S. Senate candidates in the last election cycle, which covers the years 2007 and 2008.
According to the FEC, Democrat Al Franken raised a little more than $22.5 million through the end of 2008. Republican Norm Coleman raised nearly $19.3 million.
Franken ended up winning the election, but wasn't able to take his seat in the Senate until July, when the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled against Coleman's challenge to a recount that gave Franken the victory.
On top of the $42 million in total campaign money the two candidates raised, they also collected another $3 million combined to pay for that legal battle.
As Franken serves his first term in the Senate, Coleman is considering whether to enter the 2010 Minnesota governor's race.
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