Minn. Supreme Court Declares Franken Winner in Senate Race

The Minnesota Supreme Court today ruled that former Saturday Night Live star Al Franken (D) won his election last November against former senator Norm Coleman (R), potentially completing one of the longest election processes in American history and giving the Democrats an even larger majority in the Senate.

The court ruled today against Coleman, who had argued that the recount that put Franken ahead by 312 votes was improperly conducted and applied different standards to ballots in different counties in the state. The court's opinion says that Franken is entitled to receive the election certificate declaring him the winner. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) said Sunday he would follow the court's mandate, although he has not yet signed the certificate.

Coleman, whose lawyers have in the past suggested he would appeal in federal court if he lost at the state level, has not yet commented on the ruling. He could potentially ask a court to stay the court's ruling until his next appeal.

If Franken is seated, it would give the Democrats a 60-seat majority in the Senate, potentially allowing them to stop Republicans from using the filibuster to slow down controversial bills, although Democrats Ted Kennedy (Mass.) and Robert Byrd (W.Va.) have missed many votes this year because of health issues and might continue to do so.

Franken has not yet commented on the ruling, but congressional Democrats called on Coleman to stop his appeals and Pawlenty to sign the election certificate.

"We've always said Norm Coleman deserved his day in court, and he got eight months," said Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "Now we expect Governor Pawlenty to do the right thing, follow the law and sign the election certificate."