Coleman Election Challenge: Minnesotans Oppose

A majority of Minnesotans disagree with Norm Coleman's decision to contest the results of the state's Senate election, a new poll shows.

In a poll conducted by Survey USA, 49 percent of individuals said they did not agree with the Minnesota Republican's lawsuit challenging election results that show him losing to Al Franken by 225 votes. Forty-two percent said they did agree.

Adding a little salt on the wound: 44 percent of respondents said Coleman should concede, while 31 percent wanted the state to hold a new election.

The tide of public opinion, in the end, won't likely be enough to speed up Minnesota's already-long election process. Almost all examinations of the ballot breakdowns show that Coleman's Senate chances remain a long shot. But his campaign has insisted that they will exhaust their court challenges before conceding defeat.

In a brief press conference introducing their complaint, Coleman's lawyer, Fritz Knaak, said he "would not be surprised if this went a month a half, two months out ... Technically we could redo the entire recount. I can tell you right now, that is not in the plans."

The Coleman lawsuit itself is a site to behold. As Eric Kleefeld notes at Talking Points Memo: it "ignores the existence of counter-evidence, employs one maneuver when it is self-benefiting and opposes the same maneuver when it goes against them, attacks not just the recount but votes that were counted for Franken all along, and overall throws everything against the wall to see what sticks."

Comments

[ideveloper]

This reflects a headline in '04 shortly after November: "Nation split 50/50 on whether Bush is a uniter."

[solarian]

a republican give no they like stealing elections

[Trittydi]

Half of Minnesotans want Coleman to concede? Are you kidding me?

ROTFLMAO.

Isn't that like saying, "who did you vote for?
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[Archontruth]

I was going to say the same thing. Isn't Minnesota being split down the middle what created this mess?

[1201SLD]

"49 percent ... did not agree with the Minnesota Republican's lawsuit challenging election results ..."

Which is to say, the Franken voters? Did anyone think the Coleman voters (and GOP) would oppose the lawsuit? What did you expect?

[taricaziz]

The city of St. Paul offers help for those who are about to be foreclosed on, Norm may need help.

[Trittydi]

Oh - he needs help alright.
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[1201SLD]

"A majority of Minnesotans disagree with Norm Coleman's decision to contest the results of the state's Senate election"

"49 percent ... did not agree with the Minnesota Republican's lawsuit challenging election results ..."

A plurality perhaps, but a majority?

[plymkr]

This is funny......half want him to quit and the other half want Franken to quit.....and there you go, that's why this state in such a mess.

[kaukerc]

......and the other half want him in jail.

[Trittydi]

Half of that half want his suits. And half of THAT half want his house. And half of THAT half want his barber's phone number - but for an assortment of different reasons.
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[kaukerc]

.......and the other half want him in jail.

[BrighterStar]

Franken has stopped his call to count every vote. Interesting.

[Trittydi]

Really - why would anyone stop once they're declared the winner? Suspicious if you ask me.
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[Trittydi]

Is it even more suspicious that now, Coleman does?
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[Ranta]

Maybe Norm wants to count all the improperly rejected absentee ballots so he can lose by an even bigger margin.

[hortonhearsawho2]

A vote on a vote to vote on a vote...Say that quickly three times...almost as confusing as this vote on a ...

[jake106]

Well duh! Maybe its the half that voted for Franken? This has to go up there with the "Dumbest headlines ever".

[sueinmn]

You must realize that probably a majority of the people of MN did not participate in this online poll.

[sueinmn]

win or lose probably 99 percent of the people would say get lets move forward now, its over.

[sueinmn]

Norm its over!! Your out of work and have huge personal debts. WELCOME TO OUR WORLD NORM!!!

[vegasobserver]

Norm, it's time to get a gig modeling your foot-high pompadour and bleached teeth!