Al Franken

MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik

Election Coverage from MPR

Franken, Coleman in YouTube 'debate'

Al Franken and Norm Coleman don't have any debates scheduled yet in the U.S. Senate contest. But you can see them answering questions about the issues on your own computer. (08/16/2008)

Coleman says DC apartment is a non-issue

Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman says he would welcome an ethics committee review of his living arrangements in Washington, D.C. (08/15/2008)

Franken: Draw back more U.S. Iraqi funds

U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken is one-upping a call from his opponent, Republican Norm Coleman, for the United States to rescind funds it's sending to Iraq for reconstruction of that country. (08/11/2008)

McCollum endorses Franken for Senate

DFL Congresswoman Betty McCollum says she will now back Democrat Al Franken for Senate after publicly criticizing him. (08/08/2008)

DFL Senate candidate Al Franken says 'No Child Left Behind' needs to change

DFL U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken says portions of the federal No Child Left Behind law need to change to accommodate broader approaches to learning. (08/08/2008)

Klobuchar asks supporters to donate to Franken

Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, sent an e-mail out Friday with the subject line, "Why I need Al Franken in the Senate." (08/08/2008)

Lord Faris releases first anti-Franken ad

DFL U.S. Senate candidate Priscilla Lord Faris is out with a television ad questioning the electability of the party's endorsed candidate, Al Franken. (08/06/2008)

Senate candidates face off for the first time

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and his DFL-endorsed opponent Al Franken debated for the first time today in front of hundreds of people at Farmfest. (08/05/2008)

U.S. Senate candidates debate at Farmfest

Major party candidates for the U.S. Senate debated rural issues Tuesday in their first joint appearance. The traditional Farmfest debate was held at the Gilfillan Estate in Redwood County, Minn. (Midday, 08/05/2008)

Franken outlines plan to cut energy costs

DFL Senate candidate Al Franken said the federal government should sell off 50 million barrels of oil from the nation's strategic petroleum reserve over the next three months. (07/28/2008)

Candidate snapshot

Party: DFL

Biography

Date of Birth: 05/21/1951

Place of Birth: New York, N.Y.

Education: BA, General Studies, Harvard University, 1973

Positions Held: Founder, Midwest Values PAC

Business/Professional Experience: Host, The O'Franken Factor, Air America Radio, 2004 -2006; Served as a Fellow with Harvard's Kennedy School of Government at the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, 2003; Writer, Saturday Night Live, 1973-1980, 1985-1995

Religion: Jewish

Resources

Official campaign site

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