Franken to meet with Senate leaders

Published: Nov. 17, 2008 at 1:46 PM
AL FRANKEN ANNOUNCES HE WILL SEEK U.S. SENATE SEAT

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken will meet with congressional party leaders this week as his Minnesota race is in a recount, a spokeswoman said.

Franken is locked in a close battle with Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, trailing him by 206 votes as state officials proceed with a recount that will take weeks to complete. Even so, spokeswoman Colleen Murray said Franken will meet Tuesday with Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and others, the Star Tribune newspaper reported.

"If he should win this election, it would be irresponsible for him not to get ready to take office," Murray said. "Minnesota deserves a senator who is ready to take office on Day One."

Coleman spokesman Mark Drake told the Star Tribune, "(It is) highly presumptuous for Mr. Franken to undertake such a visit when his real purpose appears to be fundraising and gaining partisan advantage from non-Minnesotans."

Murray confirmed that Franken would do fundraising, saying, "We've been up front about the fact that the recount is very expensive."

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
NBA: Boston 107, New York 105 (OT) (36 min)
Florida stays atop the BCS poll (38 min)
NFL: New York Giants 34, Atlanta 31 (OT) (40 min)
NFL: New Orleans 38, Tampa Bay 7 (45 min)
UPI Sports Calendar for Monday, Nov. 23
NFL: Kansas City 27, Pittsburgh 24 (OT)
NFL: Dallas 7, Washington 6
fark
Congratulations to the unnamed motorist who received Virginia's first $1,000 traffic ticket for...
If you are in Salinas, CA on Tuesday night and find yourself at a DUI checkpoint, you will either...
Next on the docket: Case No. 1950cv05050: Mouse vs. Duck for trademark infringement. Bonus: The...
The coolest Human-Powered Road-Going Viking Boat you'll see today
Kid with terminal cancer is close to death and doesn't want to burden his family with restoring...
Georgia's Supreme Court made it legal for 16-year-olds to fark their teachers last year, but wouldn't...