Al Franken

MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik

Election Coverage from MPR

Senate campaigns amassing attorneys and more money

Both the Franken and Coleman campaigns say they're working on amassing hundreds of attorneys and volunteers to monitor the counting, while campaign finance laws will now allow maxed-out contributors to donate to the campaigns again. (11/11/2008)

Franken, Coleman continue battle in post-campaign campaign

As the state gears up for a recount, Al Franken and Sen. Norm Coleman are engaged in a public relations battle that political observers say is intended to influence who will be the winner. (11/11/2008)

Franken on the recount

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken says it is clear that the votes in Minnesota's Senate race need to be recounted, given how close the results are. He rejected calls by Republican incument Norm Coleman for him to concede the race. Franken spoke to MPR's Gary Eichten on Midday today. (11/06/2008)

Coleman declares win, recount looms

Coleman declared himself the winner of Tuesday's election but Franken said he would let the recount play out, hoping it would erase the incumbent's 439-vote lead out of nearly 2.9 million ballots. (11/06/2008)

Some Minn. voters chose Obama, but not Franken

Democrat Barack Obama defeated Republican John McCain by almost 10 percentage points in Minnesota, but that wave of support didn't propel U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken to a decisive victory over Norm Coleman. (11/06/2008)

Ritchie: Senate recount will involve hundreds, cost $90K

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie told reporters today the recount to decide the U.S. Senate race between Norm Coleman and Al Franken will involve hundreds of people and will cost at least $90,000. (11/05/2008)

As recount looms, Coleman's lead narrows

Republican Norm Coleman is claiming victory in Minnesota's Senate race. But it could be weeks before the state has an official winner. Coleman's lead over Democrat Al Franken is now just 475 votes out of 2.9 million cast. The margin is so narrow it has triggered an automatic recount. (11/05/2008)

AP reverses call on Senate outcome; recount required

The Associated Press has backed off its earlier declaration that Norm Coleman won re-election to the U.S. Senate, because the margin of victory is so slim it will require a recount. (11/05/2008)

Candidates set furious pace on last campaign day

Minnesota's leading Senate candidates are turning to heavy hitters on the last day before the election, and crisscrossing the state to appeal to their supporters to go to the polls tomorrow. (11/03/2008)

Fireworks at the final Senate debate

Just two days before Election Day, U.S. Senate candidates Republican Norm Coleman, Democrat Al Franken and the Independence Party's Dean Barkley gathered at the Fitzgerald Theater in downtown St. Paul for their final debate of the election season. The debate was moderated by Midday's Gary Eichten. (Midday, 11/03/2008)

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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