MN-Sen: Two New Polls Say Minnesotans Want Coleman to Concede Already

{Originally posted at my blog Senate Guru.}

Two new polls makes it clear that Minnesotans want Republican Norm Coleman to give them back their second Senate seat that he is holding hostage with his endless appeals.

Poll number one:

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."

Large majorities of those polled said they would oppose any further appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Should Coleman win at the state Supreme Court, 57 percent of respondents said Franken should concede. And 73 percent believe Coleman should give up if he loses at the state's highest court.

"I voted for Coleman, but this thing has gone on way too long," said Mike McCombs, 50, a Lakeville furnace and air conditioning salesman. "Obviously, the Republican Party is trying to keep Franken's vote out of the United States Senate. We should get another [senator] in there." ...

Although 57 percent of Republican poll respondents approve of Coleman's appeal to the state Supreme Court, the same portion of Republicans want him to quit should he lose there.

Poll number two:

A new poll from Grove Insight Research shows that Minnesota voters want Norm Coleman to concede and Gov. Pawlenty to sign the election certificate that will allow Al Franken to be seated -- finally -- in the U.S. Senate.

The poll, commissioned by Alliance for a Better Minnesota, showed that 59% of surveyed voters believe Coleman should concede to Al Franken, while just 34% believe he should keep his legal challenge going. Those numbers fit with the 61% who believe the recount and challenge process has been fair and impartial, against just 24% -- the true dead-end of the conservative rump -- who still question the process.

54% now believe that Franken won in November fair and square, while just 26% believe Coleman actually won. Among the remainder, 14% are unsure of who actually came out ahead and 5% believe the two candidates actually tied.

As for Governor Pawlenty, there are some potential landmines waiting for him should he decide that he, and not the state Supreme Court, is the Decider:

What ought to be of concern to Governor Pawlenty is the fallout should he refuse to sign a certificate of election. A clear majority (58%) believe that failure to certify Franken after the Minnesota Supreme Court rules raises at least "somewhat serious doubts" about Tim Pawlenty. This number grows to 64% when voters are told that the governor is legally required to sign an election certificate. In fact, even four in 10 (40%) self-identified Republicans say they would have "serious doubts" with their Republican Governor should he fail to sign an election certificate after the Minnesota Supreme Court rules.

A strong majority of Minnesotans think that the election and post-election recount and trial were properly conducted; a strong majority of Minnesotans think that Senator-elect Al Franken won fair and square; a strong majority of Minnesotans want Coleman to concede and release the Senate seat he is holding hostage. Only about one-quarter of Minnesotans think that Coleman won and that he should press on with his appeals. The will of the voters, for which Coleman keeps saying that he is fighting, is clear in its desire for Coleman to concede. Help put pressure on Coleman to concede by joining the One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away effort.

Comments

[stepper]

Bad news for Al Franken today: Arlen Specter changed parties. That means the Republican Party's war on democracy is reduced to a single battle front: Minnesota.

Now the Dem caucus has 59 members and Al would make 60. You think the Repubs threw support behind Coleman before, just wait and see what happens now. They will NEVER let this case end. First they will try to delay the State Supreme Court date. Then after the case is thrown out, they will file in Federal court and simultaneously file an injunction motion to prevent Pawlenty and Ritchie from issuing an election certificate, based on the claim that the contest period includes federal challenges.

After a Fed court hearing that will include every delaying tactic possible, they go to Appeals and then the U.S. Supreme Court. By then, Franken's term will be over or he will be dead of old age.

This is the only move they have left. Think they won't make it?

[madbear]

So get ready for the most drawn out, protracted legal challenge of all-time. It will make the Exon Valdez drama seam like a hour in traffic court.

[NuMexMama]

Uh, Hey Repubs! What ever happened to "Country FIRST"?

[bigsexyshaq]

The truth is that a large majority of people simply aren't politics junkies. Coleman's strategy misses the point of election DAY.

[zest]

Norm get out of the way.

[raker]

It isn't about Minnesota or Coleman thinking he has a chance to win. It's Republican gamesmanship, keeping Franken from being declared the winner for as long as possible. Coleman is being propped up, Weekend At Bernie's-style, to deflect attention from the Republicans' immoral attempt to undermine the electoral process, for a while anyway.

[filo]

It's time you quit Norm ! Like a lot of Republicans you are being a sore loser.

Certify Al Franken because he's good enough, he's smart enough and gosh darnit he WON !

[MocksNix]

Al Franken is kinda like Al Gore-- he keeps rearing his ugly head and won't disappear! What's with this sense of having no sense of humiliation?

[Ldyandrea]

Your statement doesn't make any sense.

[dukeuch]

Yeah, how dare an elected official actually demand to assume his elected position? What kind of crazy democracy does Franken come from?

[Furby]

The "sense of having no sense of humilitation". Yikes. You sir are a m oron and I suspect your fair nation has been in the hands of your ilk for say, 8 years or so. How bout letting someone else have a go. They can't do any worse than you can they.

[flydoghead]

english as a second language perhaps ?

[ChaoticGood]

I want Norm Coleman to go on with the endless fight. The longer he fights, the more tiresome and illogical he becomes and he sours the electorate on the Republican party in general. Anything that hurts Republican chances to get back into power is a good thing, so Norm keep it going forever. Maybe you should get Rush or Palin to come and help you.

[Manx]

Coleman is being financed and controlled by the RNC, who want to delay the seating of a Democratic senator as long as they can. Proof that Coleman is shallow and not a leader.

[Ldyandrea]

It also proves that the second this whole thing is over, and Coleman finally has to concede, the RNC who have been whispering in his ear all this time will drop him like a safe and disappear. Norm's political career is over, he just doesn't realize it yet.

[weatherwaxx]

I wish the MN Supremes would refuse to hear the case and let it stand as the lower court has decided. That would put Pawlenty in contempt of court if he refuses to sign...

[labman57]

The Minnesota GOP is more interested in what is in the best interest of their party than they are in what is in the best interest of the state and its people.

This is an extension of the Republican Party's philosophy at the national level, as evidenced when they make childish proclamations such as "we hope Obama fails", even if it results in greater hardship for the American public.

[AmericanWarrior]

My fellow Americans - I give you The Banana Republican Party. All gimmick. No substance.

[MaryscottOConnor]

Coleman doesn't CARE what Minnesotans think or want. He is currently doing the bidding of the Republican party and Republicans in the Senate, who want to stall Franken's being seated as long as possible. This is a game, nothing more. They don't care about Minnesota being represented fairly in the Senate. They care about the game -- period.

Ed Rendell was right -- The Republicans have become a radical right wing fringe group.

[lisakaz2]

Soooo....w­hen will someone actually do something that compels Coleman and/or Pawlenty to act???

[Furby]

It just won't happen because: a) letting this drag on is emptying republican coffers and b) 59 votes is not a whole lot better than 58 so the dems can comfortably wait until 2010 before giving a damn.