Al Franken

MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik

Election Coverage from MPR

Meet the Candidates: Al Franken

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Al Franken takes listener questions for Midday's "Meet the Candidates" series. (Midday, 01/23/2008)

DFL delegates weigh electability in Senate race

As Minnesota's precinct caucuses draw near, several DFL activists shared their views about the candidates and what they think is important heading into the endorsement decision. (01/20/2008)

Meet the Candidates: Al Franken

Al Franken is one of the Democrats challenging U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., in the 2008 election. He joins Midday as part of our "Meet the Candidates" series. (Midday, 12/21/2007)

Franken nets AFSCME backing in Senate bid

Democrat Al Franken has netted a big endorsement in his bid to challenge Republican Sen. Norm Coleman next year. The political arm of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5 voted Saturday to back Franken. (11/19/2007)

Senate DFL candidates mix it up at debate

Three Democrats who hope to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman next year came together Friday to talk about the issues. Mike Ciresi, Jim Cohen and Al Franken talked about the war in Iraq, health care, taxes and other issues. (10/05/2007)

Coleman, Franken in dispute over MoveOn.org ad

Republican Sen. Norm Coleman has taken out a full-page ad in the Star Tribune newspaper, criticizing Democrat Al Franken. Franken says the ad is intended to distract voters from Coleman's support for the war in Iraq. (09/25/2007)

Senate race in full swing at fairgrounds

It's not an election year, but the race for U.S. Senate is going strong at the Minnesota State Fair. (08/30/2007)

Despite declining popularity, Coleman comfortable in Senate re-election bid

The Mason-Dixon Research poll says Sen. Norm Coleman presently enjoys more than a 20-percent spread between him and either Al Franken or Mike Ciresi. But his approval rating has slipped below 50 percent. (05/14/2007)

DFL Senate candidates run quiet campaign for delegates

DFLers Mike Ciresi and Al Franken are working behind the scenes to win the support of party activists who will likely vote to endorse a candidate for Senate at next year's DFL state convention. (05/01/2007)

Coleman sounds Republican alarm against Franken

In a fundraising letter, Sen. Norm Coleman wrote to supporters earlier this month that he is the national Democrats' top target in 2008. (02/15/2007)

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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