Franken Statement: We Will Win By 35-50 Votes

Days after Al Franken was awarded dozens of votes in the official recount process, the campaign of the Democratic Senate challenger in Minnesota released a statement declaring that Franken expects to win the election.

FRANKEN CAMPAIGN: WE EXPECT TO WIN BY 35-50 VOTES

Campaign Releases New Internal Count Projecting Post-Recount Lead

SAINT PAUL [12/20/08] - The Franken campaign today released an update to its internal count and announced that it expected the reconciliation of withdrawn challenges next week to result in a 35-50 vote lead for Al Franken at the end of the recount.

Franken lead recount attorney Marc Elias:

"The work left for the state canvassing board to do next week - the re-allocation of withdrawn challenges - is work we have already done in our internal count, because that count has always assumed that all challenges will fail. On Tuesday, I will stand before you with that work completed. Al Franken will have a lead of between 35 and 50 votes. And, at some point not too long after that, Al Franken will stand before you as the Senator-Elect from Minnesota."

The Franken campaign's internal count before the state canvassing board began its work of reviewing challenges was based on the assumption that all challenges would fail. That internal count yielded a four vote lead for Al Franken.

However, multiple published reports support the fact that Franken challenges were of better quality than Coleman challenges, resulting in a widening of Franken's lead.

Published reports currently indicate a 260 vote lead for Franken, but also suggest uncertainty as to what will happen when withdrawn challenges are re-allocated to the candidate for whom the ballots were originally called.

But because the Franken methodology already assumed those ballots would end up in the tally of the candidate for whom each one was originally called, the internal count can predict the result of that work with certainty: a 35-50 vote lead for Franken.

Comments

[rjcrane]

This is great news which means those 1600 uncounted absentee ballots are just Al Franken insurance.

Bill O'Reilly is probably climbing the walls too because he won't be able to handle Al Franken winning this election. From clips I had heard of O'Reilly shortly after the election he was shown celebrating as if Franken had already lost the election.

RJ Crane, topplebush.com

[jpmdevildog]

Following a 2-month recount that has still not determined a winner in the Minnesota Senate race between incumbent Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken, officials have decided on an age-old method to settle the matter " Rock Paper Scissors!

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/politics/rock-paper-scissors-senate/

[urthsong]

I don't want to be a wet blanket, and I'm pulling for Al, but there were supposed to be 130 something votes that were duplicated. For some reason I'm not clear about, the votes were copied. The suggestion was that if the votes could not be matched with the copies then it was possible that they had been counted twice. Coleman might have something to challenge there.

[lizziekw]

It just makes me happy every time I see Al Franken.

GO AL!

[rogerse]

Yup, the comedian is right.

[wayoutleft]

franken just learned that several hundred votes for stuart smalley will be allowed.

[BCubedReg]

Nate Silver (538.com) predicted a 27 vote Franken victory... The story above says 35-50... Nate is in the ball park.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Nate is amazing!

[AZ AF VET]

I'm not surprised that Al is leading, He's good enough, he's smart enough and Doggon it people just like him!

[WeWon]

LOL ... guess all that visualazation worked after all.

[rabiddog6708]

Choke on it, Ru$h!

[imaxfli]

YES...hope their right!!!!

[funkalicious]

Send Al some Lawyer up money the Minnesota seat has cost 17 million dollars to date.
That is a lot of Knish so send some money so he can finally finish the job.
http://www.alfranken.com/ $10 $20 $2500 if you didn't vote in Minnesota you have pay to have your voice heard.

[johnnygoodwud]

lesson of the day, 'yes virginia your vote does count'. never not vote

[heartsick]

I am just delighted at the prospect that the money-grubbing Coleman will be knocked from his influence-selling pedastal. We don't need a Senator who has to have someone else buy his and his wife's clothes. Let him find a job that allows him to buy his own clothes from Neiman and Saks. Since he is into high end shopping, let him vacate his "low paying" Senate seat! LOL!

[OhComeOnNow]

Senator Franken - I like the sound of that!

I know he will make us proud and carry on the magnificent tradition of Paul Wellstone. Go, Al!

(I can't wait to hear the shreaks of dismay from Fox Noise the day it is declared official - he he he)

[CR46]

Rushs F.at head will prorbly implode!!!!!

[schatsie]

also Buchanan and Coulter, I can see their heads spinning around like the girl in the Exorcist....

[JSDKoeln]

And don't forget Smell O'Leilly! Hopefully he will just explode and we'll be done with him!

[mrk2933]

Al is not only funny, his intelligence is way out there and he will serve his fortunate state with distinction. It appears to be another happy day for our future in america and I look forward to the input of this great american.