And the winner is…

Posted: Monday, January 05, 2009 4:22 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
After 62 days of counting and re-counting nearly three million ballots, the Minnesota State Canvassing Board today certified results showing Democrat Al Franken as the winner of the Minnesota Senate race.

The decision overturns the initial result from Election Day, Nov. 4th, when incumbent Republican Norm Coleman led by 215 votes and declared victory.

After an initial recount, Franken -- bolstered by the state’s liberal voter intent law -- took a 46-vote lead. That lead then grew to 49 votes late last week and after absentee ballots, which were determined to be rejected improperly, were counted over the weekend, Franken expanded his lead to 225 votes.

But it’s not over yet, as Team Coleman will likely take the decision to court.

Beyond that, the next fight will be in Washington and if or how Republicans try to block Franken from being seated before all litigation is decided on.

The Minnesota Senate recount has gone on 23 days longer than the 2000 Florida Presidential recount.

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Comments

Yeah for Franken - oh no it's not over yet. Maybe, just maybe Colemen will admit defeat so we can all move on from this (yawn).

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:28 PM)

another one bites the dust. coleman needs to go away. talking about a sore loser. franken to the front. handle your business al.

ain't it the truth (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:36 PM)

After watching the process on line I have to commend Minnesota on running a transparent system of recounting. Sure there were areas of dispute, but even those were out in the open for all to see. Refreshing to see a system WORK, slow but steady.

Dave the Cynic, Florence, SC (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:37 PM)

Congratulations Senator Franken!

nuanced (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:39 PM)

Back in November after the initial count was done Norm Coleman declared victory and pushed for Al Franken to concede. This was dispite the fact that by state law a recount was mandatory due to the closeness of the race. Now hopefully Norm Coleman will take a clue from his own post election comments and concede graciously.

Frederick, Woodbury, MN (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:40 PM)

Well, its over now. All the votes have been counted. Time for former Senator Coleman to concede. Congratulations Senator-elect Franken!

skeusenkothen, Kingston Jamaica (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:42 PM)

I seem to recall Mr. Coleman calling Mr. Franken a sore loser, or words to that effect, a few days after the election when Mr. Franken refused to concede based on Mr. Coleman's 215-vote lead. The honorable thing to do, Mr. Coleman said, was to accept defeat. Now that Mr. Franken has a 225-vote lead following a recount that the Minnesota Supreme Court could find no fault with, Mr. Coleman is concerned that hundreds of Minnesotan's votes may not have been counted. Looks like another one those lies and the lying liars who tell them.

Dazed and Confused in DC (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:42 PM)

Al Franken! The new face of the Democratic party! Will that be with clown makeup, or without?

Team Al (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:44 PM)

A 1000 apologies. Really. Make it a million.

Dan Coats, St. Paul MN (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:45 PM)

I recall a triumphant, beaming Coleman in November 08 asking Franken to call for an end to the (state mandated) recount for the good of Minnesota. I take it he isn't going to follow his own advice and end it?

The long and short of the story is that former Senator Coleman is done, and it would be in MN's best interest to send Franken to D.C. to get started in the Senate, instead of entrenching him in the courts here. Let bygones be bygones--the recount went well and was transparent and honest!

Lacy, Minneapolis, MN (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:45 PM)

If these proposed tax cuts are to be reduced from your weekly taxable gross income as proposed here is the result:

(Based on a 52 week pay period for workers)

$500.00 Tax Cut per worker - A $9.61 weekly tax cut.

$1,000 Tax Cut for Couples - A 19.23 weekly tax cut.

Now tell me folks, will you then be prepared to go out and spend to help boost the economy with these huge increases in your weekly income?

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL

Obama delivers his promise to all Americans. A tax cut. Drive on backwoods bama redneck.

Judy, NYC (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:46 PM)

Of course Coleman won't concede. That's what he wanted Franken to do last month when Coleman was ahead. But now that Franken has won, Coleman will tie it up in the courts for who knows how long? Hypocrite. Just another slimy Republican who can't take losing. I'm glad Franken won. Now maybe they can continue the investigation on Coleman.

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:47 PM)

Didn't Coleman state something to the effct that the loser should just man up and accept the review board's decision? Oh, that's right, he was ahead at that time. Typical GOP hypocrisy again. When will it stop? Coleman even wanted to count ballots that had been disqualified but that were leaning toward him but protested those leaning toward his opponent. Hypocrisy again, and again, and again in the GOP.

eagle1776 (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:53 PM)

Begin Republican whining in 5...4...3...2...1

15 Days and counting until Inauguration Day!
http://jawillie.blog.com

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 5:04 PM)

Before we all forget, let's remember the threat that is coming to face Obama in the first 6 months that Joe Biden told us about.

The situation on the Gaza strip may be leading up to this threat either there or from another direction. With all that is going on in the world we can only hope he will act in a way to discourage our enemies and challenge them. Who do you want answering the phone at 3 am. I think we have already had signs of what may come from our PE. Nothing, corrections, waffle house specials.

Kathy, Charlotte (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 5:08 PM)

The Republicans had better think long and hard about refusing to seat a duly elected Senator from the state of MN. We have LONG memories here, and trust me, it will be brought up in subsequent elections under the heading of why we will never vote for a Republican anything again.

Coleman deserved to lose, he will probably wind up in court defending his "ethics".

As for Timmy, he barely won election the last time, and only because his opponent imploded. If he plays around with Franken going to the Senate, he won't be able to run for dog catcher and win.

newdayDawning (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 5:14 PM)

Apparently the Minnesota Canvassing Board believes Frankin is good enough, smart enough and obviously people like him enough to give him more votes than Coleman.

eagle1776 (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 5:19 PM)

Ilinois doesn't need anymore Senators. Obama is president-elect and has all the qualities of a slug.
He needs so much help he's enlisted another entire previous administration.

Burris isn't handling his phony and tainted selection in an adult manner. "I'm the junior Senator. I'm the junior Senator. It's legal and you can't do anything about it."

Thank you Eddie Haskel.

Peter Percival Patterson (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 5:26 PM)

I'm very much afraid that we are reaching the point in this country that no one believes that any belection is fair and people will start taking the law into their own hands

Michael House (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 6:04 PM)

Al Franken! The new face of the Democratic party! Will that be with clown makeup, or without?
Team Al (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 4:44 PM)
___________

Without, as he is a Harvard graduate, thank you very much. Funny how they had no problem with Governor Kindergarten Cop, or Senator "Roseanne's boss on season 1 of Roseanne" Thompson, or Mayor Sonny "Cher's straight man" Bono....but Harvard educated Al Franken wins an election, and suddenly we have to call him a clown.

Just more sour grapes from the right. But what do you expect when the public tells your party you aren't good enough, you aren't smart enough, and doggone it, no one likes you.

JT (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 6:22 PM)

CONGRATS SENATOR FRANKEN! YOU'VE DONE GOOD! THE US SENATE NEEDS MEN LIKE YOU! COLEMAN IS A SORE LOSER! LOOK AT HIM WHINING LIKE A LITTLE GIIIIRRRRRRL! FRANKEN FOR PRESIDENT!!!

Dems 4 Ever (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 6:45 PM)

How can anyone take Al Franken seriously? He has made a life out of being a fool, and prostituted himself on television as a mediocre comedian for the sake of money. The people of MN deserve better. Whether Norm Coleman is the right person or not, he is at least a credible public official.

MJ Newport, Los Angeles CA (Sent Monday, January 05, 2009 6:58 PM)

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