Al Franken

MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik

Election Coverage from MPR

Senate candidates wage public relations battle

Outside the courtroom, a public relations battle between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken continues. (01/30/2009)

Seating Franken might raise constitutional issues

Even though the court case over Minnesota's U.S. Senate race just got underway, there has been talk for weeks that Democrats may try to make Al Franken a senator before the case is over. (01/27/2009)

Were votes counted twice? Maybe

Minneapolis election judges may be asked to take the stand in Minnesota's U.S. Senate election contest. But many election judges say it's hard to remember what seemed like minor details from a hectic day two months ago. (01/22/2009)

Was the election stolen?

Republican Norm Coleman's campaign says the recount in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race was invalid and unreliable. Some conservative critics have gone further. They suspect the recount was rigged. But members of the state Canvassing Board defend their work as "thorough, open and bi-partisan." (01/14/2009)

Burris case casts shadow over Franken seating

The scuffle over a replacement senator for President-elect Barack Obama highlights an obstacle likely to keep Democrat Al Franken from taking office in Washington before a court challenge over his apparent victory in Minnesota is resolved. (01/07/2009)

Senate contest heads to court

Norm Coleman has filed a lawsuit contesting the results of the recount in the 2008 Senate election. Midday examines next steps in the legal process. (Midday, 01/07/2009)

Campaigns gear up, raise money for election contest

An election contest could drag on for weeks and even months and is going to cost both sides money. It could cost Minnesota taxpayers, too. (01/07/2009)

With lawsuit looming, Senate won't seat Franken

Republican Norm Coleman's campaign is expected to go to court today to contest the Senate election. The move comes a day after Democrat Al Franken declared victory in Minnesota's U.S. Senate recount, and on the day the Senate convenes in Washington. (01/06/2009)

Coleman legal strategy: find votes

If Norm Coleman ends up contesting the outcome of the Senate election, his legal strategy could focus on a number of issues that have come up during the recount. (01/05/2009)

Minn. Senate forecast: Flurry of action, hazy end

Minnesota's Senate recount played out on three fronts Friday: local officials readied unopened absentee ballots for counting this weekend, the state's highest court kept a legal door open for Sen. Norm Coleman, and a top Republican in Washington hinted at a Capitol battle ahead. (01/02/2009)

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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