Robyn Beck/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Senator-elect Franken.Updated, With Latest Developments, 6:30 p.m.: The Minnesota Supreme Court’s declaration that Democrat Al Franken has won the state’s hotly contested Senate seat produced nearly minute-by minute reactions and news. Featured in the post below are the announcements by Gov. Tim Pawlenty that he would certify the election results for Mr. Franken today; reactions from the national G.O.P. (no congratulatory note from Chairman Michael Steele); Senate Republicans on the Democrats’ 60-vote achievement as well as Mr. Franken’s list of his new committee assignments, which include the Judiciary Committee.
Related article by Carl Hulse and Monica Davey.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has just issued its long-awaited judgment in the Senate race, declaring that Democrat Al Franken is the winner. And Norm Coleman, his opponent, at 4 p.m., announced that he had conceded and contacted Mr. Franken.
The 32-page unanimous decision by the state’s highest court was released after a seven-months long battle over the seat formerly held by Norm Coleman. On every ground, the judicial panel rejected Mr. Coleman’s claims of trial errors or constitutional violations, and decided that Mr. Franken’s election should be certified by the state as valid.
Mr. Coleman stepped outside his home just a short while ago to give his news conference. He indicated that he and Mr. Franken had a positive, personal talk and he told the Democrat that being senator was the “best job he’ll ever have.”
The Republican’s statement began this way: “Ours is a government of laws, not men and women. The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken and I respect its decision and will abide by the result. It’s time for Minnesota to come together under the leaders it has chosen and move forward. I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States Senator – Al Franken.”
With Mr. Coleman’s concession, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican who had demonstrated a reluctance to certify election results until the state’s highest court issued its ruling, announced that he would sign the certificate validating Mr. Franken’s election to the United States Senate.
In a statement issued by his office, Mr. Pawlenty declared: “The Minnesota Supreme Court has today addressed the issues surrounding the accuracy and integrity of our election system during the 2008 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota. In light of that decision and Senator Coleman’s announcement that he will not be pursuing an appeal, I will be signing the election certificate today as directed by the court and applicable law.”
Mark Ritchie, Minnesota’s secretary of state, also issued a statement saying: “This unanimous opinion of the court affirms the accuracy and fairness of Minnesota’s election laws and recount procedures. As required by Minnesota law, I will co-sign the election certificate as soon as it is issued by Governor Tim Pawlenty.”
Late this afternoon, Mr. Franken emerged from his home with his wife at his side, promising to get to work as soon as possible in the Senate. “Working with our fantastic senior Senator, Amy Klobuchar, I’m going to fight hard to put people to work, improve education, make Minnesota the epicenter of a new renewable energy economy, and make quality health care accessible and affordable for all Minnesotans.
“No matter whether you voted for me, or for Senator Coleman, or for Senator Barkley, or whether you voted at all, I want the people of Minnesota to know that I’m ready to work for all of you, and that I’m committed to being a voice for all Minnesotans in the U.S. Senate.”
The senator-elect, who had begun hiring staff for the move awhile ago, said he had indeed spoken already to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and he announced his committee assignments, which offer a great seat on the most high-profile issues coming up in the Senate. Among them are the Judiciary Committee, which begins confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor in less than two weeks and the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which is one of the leading panels on overhauling health care. He also said he would sit on the Indian Affairs and Aging committees.
As for his timetable for assuming the new posting, he said he planned to be in Washington next week, when Congress returns from its July 4th recess.
Mr. Franken will become the Democrats’ much coveted 60th vote. That is the number required to avert filibusters, and with both Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Robert C. Byrd absent due to illness, the Democrats have sometimes scrambled to make sure they had lined up enough votes to overcome that obstacle, with help from a few moderate Republicans. (My colleague Carl Hulse notes that neither side has reached the 60-vote majority since 1978.)
Leading Republicans on the opposing side were quick to point out what they believe should accompany the achievement of reaching that sought-after 60-vote pinnacle.
Senator John Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, first welcomed Mr. Franken to the Senate, but added: “The implications of this Senate race are particularly significant because the Democrats will now have 60 votes in the Senate. With their super-majority, the era of excuses and finger-pointing is now over. With just 59 votes, Senate Democrats in recent months have passed trillion-dollar spending bills, driven up America’s debt, made every American taxpayer a shareholder in the auto industry and now want Washington to takeover America’s health care system. It’s troubling to think about what they might now accomplish with 60 votes.”
In its decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld the rulings of the trial court, which had concluded that Mr. Franken won the election by about 312 votes. Throughout this battle, Mr. Coleman and his lawyers have cited discarded or wrongly discredited absentee ballots as well as other miscounted votes as part of the evidence of problems with the state’s count in this race.
But at oral arguments on June 1, the Supreme Court judges were highly skeptical of Mr. Coleman’s claims, on the counting grounds or constitutional grounds. John Schwartz, our national legal affairs correspondent, attended the arguments and indicated the judges’ questions made it fairly clear that the panel was not persuaded it should overturn the findings of the trial court, or the State Canvassing Board before that.
That was borne out in the panel’s ruling today.
Once Mr. Coleman had conceded, the White House released this statement on behalf of President Obama: “I look forward to working with Senator-Elect Franken to build a new foundation for growth and prosperity by lowering health care costs and investing in the kind of clean energy jobs and industries that will help America lead in the 21st century.”
Earlier, Senator Bob Menendez, the chairman of the National Democratic Senatorial Committee, urged a resolution to the race:
“As we’ve seen over the past 238 days, no matter how many times Norm Coleman goes to court, the result of the election never changes: Al Franken earned more votes than Norm Coleman. Al Franken was elected to the Senate and he ought to be able to get to work for the people of Minnesota. We’ve always said that Norm Coleman deserved his day in court, and he got eight months. Now we expect Governor Pawlenty to do the right thing, follow the law, and sign the election certificate. From health care to the Supreme Court to getting our economy moving again, the challenges facing us are complex and we need Al Franken in the Senate. In this historic and urgent moment in our history, Minnesotans have gone long enough without full representation. Al Franken will be an critical voice on the issues before us and it’s time to let him get to work.”
For their part, Republicans on the national level expressed disappointment. Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, issued a statement that conspicuously offered no congratulations to Mr. Franken:
I am deeply disappointed in the decision made by the state Supreme Court, and I share the frustration of Minnesota’s voters. At the core of our democracy lies two concrete principles: No valid vote should go uncounted and all votes should be treated equally. Sadly, those principles were not adhered to during this election.
While I would have proudly stood behind Norm Coleman had he chosen to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, I know that his decision to withdraw from this race was not an easy one, but one that he felt was the best decision for the people of Minnesota. For the last six years, Norm represented the people of Minnesota with distinction, earning a much deserved reputation as one of the hardest-working members of Congress. I, on behalf of all Republicans, thank him for his service and will miss his leadership in Washington.”
As for Mr. Coleman, he did not disclose his future plans at the news conference outside his home. Asked whether he would run for governor of Minnesota (Mr. Pawlenty has decided not to seek re-election), Mr. Coleman would only say that he was merely pondering how better to catch fish after apparently experiencing a poor catch this past weekend.
Despite what many in Minnesota viewed as a stubborn refusal to concede, Mr. Coleman said today: “I have never believed that my service is irreplaceable. We have reached the point where further litigation damages the unity of our state, which is also fundamental. In these tough times, we all need to focus on the future. And the future today is we have a new United States senator.”
Just this morning, MSNBC’s First Read listed several factoids that have accumulated during this fight:
$51.1 million has been raised between Coleman and Franken for the entire campaign
— $50.3 million has been spent between the two candidates
— $11 million (at least) has been spent on the recount
— 2,424,946 votes were cast
— 312 votes separate the candidates (Franken leads)
— 239 days since Election Day 2008
— 34 weeks since Election Day 2008
— 7 months, 27 days since Election Day 2008
— 4 seasons seen since Election Day 2008 election.
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