Minnesotans Want Norm Coleman to Concede to Al Franken

Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 8:16 AM on April 27, 2009.

Patience continues to wear thin in Minnesota.

Nearly two-thirds of Minnesotans surveyed think Norm Coleman should concede the U.S. Senate race to Al Franken, but just as many believe the voting system that gave the state its longest running election contest needs improvement.

A new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll has found that 64 percent of those responding believe Coleman, the Republican, should accept the recount trial court's April 13 verdict that Democrat Franken won the race by 312 votes.

Only 28 percent consider last week's appeal by Coleman to the Minnesota Supreme Court "appropriate."

If the state Supreme Court rules against Coleman, 73% of Minnesotans want to see Coleman concede. Since, on Election Day, both of the major-party candidates only won about 42% of the vote, it suggests a whole lot of Coleman voters are ready to see their guy wrap this up. Indeed, 57% of Minnesota Republicans want to see Coleman quit if he loses at the state's highest court.

One Coleman voter told the Star Tribune, "Obviously, the Republican Party is trying to keep Franken's vote out of the United States Senate. We should get another [senator] in there."

What I'm most curious about is whether Coleman cares. If he loses at the Minnesota Supreme Court, the former senator will no doubt be tempted to keep the fight going by taking his case to the federal judiciary. In fact, the Republican establishment, anxious to keep the Senate Democratic caucus at 58, will no doubt beg Coleman to keep appealing, indefinitely, no matter how disgusted Minnesotans become.

So, what does Coleman do? If he plans on seeking public office again in the future, he'll almost certainly have to quit after the next court defeat. To do otherwise would do irreparable harm to what's left of Coleman's reputation. If, however, he feels like this is his last hurrah, does he drag this out even more, regardless of the consequences for Minnesota? And at what point does Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) intervene?

I'm reluctant to even guess.

Tagged as: minnesota, al franken, norm coleman, senate seat

Steve Benen is "blogger in chief" of the popular Washington Monthly online blog, Political Animal. His background includes publishing The Carpetbagger Report, and writing for a variety of publications, including Talking Points Memo, The American Prospect, the Huffington Post, and The Guardian. He has also appeared on NPR's "Talk of the Nation," MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show," Air America Radio's "Sam Seder Show," and XM Radio's "POTUS '08."