Republicans in Minnesota are buzzing this week, after speculation that Tea Party star and Republican congresswoman from Minnesota, Michele Bachmann may be planning an exploratory committee for a potential 2012 presidential run. This comes just days after former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced his own committee. Minnesota’s Republican Party chairman Tony Sutton is calling the potential pool of top tier GOP candidates from in his state, “an embarrassment of the riches.” How might the two candidates fare in a national bid?
Minnesotans have a lot to lose this year if they don’t fill out the 2010 Census: They could lose a congressional seat. The Takeaway talks with a Tom Scheck of Minnesota Public Radio about why the Census matters in Minnesota.
After an initial loss, several recounts, and months of challenges, Al Franken, the humorist turned talk show host turned politician, finally won Minnesota’s Senate race. Republican challenger Norm Coleman conceded the race after Minnesota’s Supreme Court ruled that the recounts were over. The Takeaway talks to Tom Scheck, reporter for Minnesota Public Radio and Polinaut blogger who has seen us all the way through this long race to the U.S. Senate. Also joining the conversation is Jay Newton-Small, Washington reporter for Time Magazine, who will explain the effect on Washington. Can you say "filibuster-proof"?
"Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Sen. Bob Byrd of West Virginia are both on indefinite medical leave. So at best they only have 58 votes."
— Jay Newton-Small debunking the theory that Al Franken gives Democrats 60 votes in the Senate
Al Franken and Norm Coleman face off today in Minnesota Supreme Court as oral arguments start for the selection of junior senator in the land of ten thousand lakes. Norm Coleman's team declared that not all the votes have been counted and that Al Franken did not legally obtain the most votes. But, even if the court rules that no more ballots should be counted, Franken may still not gain the victory. Is he good enough, smart enough and dog-gone-it, do enough people like him to elect him Senator?
To figure out what's at stake for Al Franken and Norm Coleman, The Takeaway talks to Tom Scheck from Minnesota Public Radio.
A Minnesota state panel is set today to begin a final recount of contested ballots in the state’s epic Senate race between Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken. At stake in today’s recount are 387 absentee ballots, which probably won’t be enough to swing the election in Coleman's favor, but Coleman says he's not backing down. The Takeaway talks to Minnesota Public Radio reporter and Polinaut blogger Tom Scheck. Again.
It ain't over till it's over. A day before the 111th Congress convenes, Republican senators are claiming that they will block any attempts to seat Democrat Al Franken, who currently holds a slim lead over Republican incumbent Norm Coleman. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck returns to The Takeaway to explain what this week will bring for Minnesota politics.
"This could last a couple of months if they choose to and they could actually order another recount." — Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck on the continuing political drama over the Minnesota senate seat
The disputed Minnesota Senate race is now closer that it's ever been. Incumbent Republican Norm Coleman leads Democratic challenger Al Franken by two votes. Late yesterday the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that improperly rejected absentee ballots should be included in the state's recount. That means the winner will not be declared until the first week of the new year at the earliest. Tom Scheck, a reporter with Minnesota Public Radio, joins The Takeaway with the latest.
“If there’s a lizard people, there’s a flying spaghetti monster.” — Poll workers in Minnesota sorting out the legitimate ballots from the very illegitimate ones.
While the Guinness Book of World Records may not actually have an entry for longest election, many Minnesotans are certain that their Senate race would win. Tom Scheck of Minnesota Public Radio joins The Takeaway to discuss the seemingly never-ending Minnesota Senate race.
As the rest of the U.S. moves on from the 2008 election, Minnesota is still trying to determine who will represent the state in the US Senate. After leading by 215 votes, Republican incumbent Norm Coleman is still in danger of losing his seat to Democrat challenger Al Franken despite Franken’s recent set back over absentee ballots. Now the US Senate’s Majority Leader has stepped into the fray increasing speculation that the Senate may take the rare move of getting involved in a state election. Today The Takeaway talks to Tom Scheck of Minnesota Public Radio as the manual re-count of more than two-point-nine million votes heads into its final days.
While the presidential election is first and foremost in most voters' minds, voters in Minnesota have been witness to the most expensive — and one of the closest — congressional race in the country. Incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman and Democratic-Farmer-Labor challenger Al Franken have together raised more than $33 million.
