Poll: Minnesotans Want Coleman To Concede, Franken To Be Seated
A new survey of Minnesota by Public Policy Polling (D), finds a clear verdict on the part of the state's voters: They want the disputed Senate race to be over, for Norm Coleman to concede defeat, and Al Franken to be sworn in. The poll was conducted yesterday and today, in the aftermath of the election court's ruling that Franken won the race.
By a 63%-37% margin, voters say that Coleman should concede the race, rather than continue to appeal. After being reminded by the pollster that Minnesota currently has only one Senator, they say by a 59%-41% margin that Franken should be seated immediately, rather than allow the seat to stay vacant. And by a 59%-41% margin, they say that Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty should sign a certificate of election.
And this question here produces a close result: "Some people say that Republicans are funding the Coleman legal suit to keep the Minnesota seat vacant and slow down the Obama agenda. Do you agree or disagree with that statement?" The numbers are 48% agree, 52% disagree.
As you would expect, Democrats overwhelmingly take the pro-Franken positions, Republicans go pro-Coleman, and independents track pretty closely with the top-line results. But here's the fun part: A greater percentage of Republicans cross over to the pro-Franken position than the percentage of Democrats taking a pro-Coleman stance. For example, Dems say 93%-7% that Coleman should concede, while Republicans are only 75%-25% that he should appeal.
One other thing: The sample as it's now weighted closely reflects the actual election result, with 41% saying they voted for Franken, 41% for Coleman, 13% for Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley, and five percent saying they didn't vote or don't remember, compared to the actual election results of Franken and Coleman at approximately 42% each, and Barkley at 15%. (The original unweighted sample was within the margin of error for this result, too, PPP's Tom Jensen tells me: Franken 42%, Coleman 40%, Barkley 13%.)
Late Update: When asked for comment, DSCC communications director Eric Schultz said: "Al Franken won the election, Al Franken won the recount, Al Franken won the contest. Given that at every stage of this process, Norm loses votes, I wonder if he's really well-served by dragging this on any longer."
Late Late Update: Minnesota DFL Party spokesman Eric Fought gives us this statement -- with a handy plug to their online activism in this matter:
"These results confirm what we are hearing--in living rooms, coffee shops and around water coolers throughout Minnesota. Minnesotans are ready to move forward and have Senator-elect Franken seated as soon as possible. They know that full representation in the U.S. Senate is not a luxury -- it is a constitutional right afforded to all Americans.
"That is why we launched www.giveitupnorm.com and why more than 5,000 people have already signed the online petition. Every day thousands more are encouraging their friends and family to ask Coleman to concede through email, Facebook and Twitter. And that is why an increasing drumbeat is being heard from Minnesota newspaper editorial boards, former Republican elected officials and conservative pundits who are telling the former Senator to do the right thing.
"It is becoming increasingly clear that Norm Coleman, those on his payroll and national Republicans are the only ones who believe that Al Franken did not win this election."
Josh
Matt
Eric
I see Coleman with his hands over his ears singing "La la la la la la la!"
April 15, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
This just in...
Ex-Senator Norm Coleman's political career is still dead.
April 15, 2009 9:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I see Coleman with his fist bawled, jumping up and down screaming darn, darn, darn! Until he stomps through the floor, like Herman Munster!
April 16, 2009 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
"By a 63%-37% margin, voters say that Coleman should concede the race"
The only statistic that matters, really. Where else do we get a 2/3 majority for anything?
April 15, 2009 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this poll is significant also, as Pawlenty needs to be pressured to comply with MN law after the appeal, and he has yet to say he will do so.
"And by a 59%-41% margin, they say that Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty should sign a certificate of election."
April 15, 2009 3:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, you're right. Kind of strange to take a poll asking whether the Gov should follow the law though. Pawlenty isn't on firm ground if he doesn't certify.
April 15, 2009 3:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Norm Coleman has from the very beginning taken the principled stance that the loser of the election should not drag things out indefinitely in the courts, because that would not be in the best interests of the people of Minnesota.
Until he lost, I mean. Then that principled stance changed entirely.
April 15, 2009 2:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, then that principled stance went to the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport and changed to a wide stance.
April 15, 2009 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Attention Sen. Cornjob: Read the poll numbers, or have someone who's real good at math explain them to you. The people of Minnesota do NOT want this thing to go on any longer, regardless of what you desperately wish people to believe. It's over.
Now be a big boy and welcome the junior Senator from Minnesota. It may eat you alive on the inside to have to share the chambers with Sen. Franken, but you'll get over it. He's got plenty of Republican friends. You might be shocked at how congenial he can be.
April 15, 2009 2:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Congratulations to the "top vote getter" which I understand is somewhat like a winner of an election but the AP wasn't really clear on this point.
April 15, 2009 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Totally off topic, but man, I miss Hunter S. Gonzo today, gonzo tomorrow, gonzo forever! Selah.
April 15, 2009 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
OK Norm, as you wish -- bring on the re-vote. Oh, I'm sorry, did you just say "Never mind"?
April 15, 2009 2:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Polls don't matter to Republicans unless they've paid Zogby or Ras to cook up a poll that reflects their position on something. Then they cite those with a fervor that defies reason.
April 15, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
"It is becoming increasingly clear that Norm Coleman, those on his payroll and national Republicans are the only ones who believe that Al Franken did not win this election."
Wait a minute!!! Espousing a position does not mean you believe in what you are saying. Talk is cheap (look at the recently displaced White House inhabitants) but it doesn't mean you necessarily believe in what you might be saying, especially if one happens to be of republican "persuasion". They don't believe in anything do they?
April 15, 2009 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
They believe like crazy in party over patriotism. Oh, and obstructionism. They believe in that too.
April 15, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Because of this poll, I almost want to see Coleman take it to the MNSC. That should drive all those number through the roof, and possibly cripple the MN Republican party for years. Not to mention Pawlenty giving Obama an amazing "He chose his party of the people of his state...what will he do as President?" meme come 2012 if he gets the nod. Are there any key votes coming up in the next few months that we truly need Sen. Franken to pass?
Ugh...but in reality, he should have been seated long ago. I guess I shouldn't put politics above citizens either.
Democrats...use these number to bring the pressure! Get Sen. Franken seated!
April 15, 2009 3:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe this is being driven by the RNC and RNSC. They don't care about Minnesota! They are interested in keeping the Democrats one less vote! Pawlenty and Coleman will/may run for office in Minnesota in the future. How will shooting themselves in the foot help? At this point they are shoveling doodoo against the tide.
April 15, 2009 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Coleman is purely bought and Pawlenty is for sale. They have no worries about taking orders from the plutocrats.
April 15, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe Republicans all over the nation should send in their money for the single purpose of getting Coleman the position... no matter WHAT!
Perhaps that would be enough to bankrupt the party so we could begin regaining some semblance of a democracy... and some new jokes in the House once Franken takes office.
BTW: Wanting EITHER of these clowns in office turns my stomach... but this is about the best the two major parties can come up with anymore... IMHO
April 15, 2009 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Republicans have got to get with it, take back the power of small- the detailed-oriented tight ship they used to run with their party. They need to get Coleman in line before it hurts the party further and make sure every party member is on message.
April 15, 2009 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
According to this poster on HuffPo, there's no way SCOTUS will even consider hearing Coleman's case.
All the more reason the appeal is mere farce.
"...he actually can't take his case to the US Supreme Court. Well I mean he could file a writ of certiorari if he really wanted to, but what is the Constitutional issue? The federal government doesn't have the right to dictate how a state chooses to run its elections. With Bush v. Gore they could at least point to certain dates in the Constitution and say 'see, it has to be decided by then, sorry guess you don't get to do a recount.' There's nothing in the Constitution that would allow SCOTUS to tell a State that it didn't run its Senate race recount correctly. You could get the most conservative court imaginable, nine justices who make Thomas look like Brennan or Stevens and they would still never touch that. SCOTUS won't have any jurisdictional grounds to hear the case. The best he could have is some vague, odd due process argument about his property rights in his senate seat. There's just no case there, it's a state issue. Trust me, if the Minn Supreme Court says it's over, it's over."
jdlund - Posted 09:09 PM on 04/15/2009
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-begala/al-franken-wins-minnesota_b_187145.html
April 15, 2009 10:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Normie Coleman and Tim Pawlenty are pawns for the GOP, and the republican party . They as well as their cohorts dont give a hoot about the good citizens of Minnesota, they only respond to the likes of Rush "the druggie" Limbaugh .... and his ilk.... Coleman, and Pawlenty are just like those other "zombies" of the "right".... They really dont care that they are hypocrites, and obstructionist` who only want to scuttle the country, and President Obama`s agenda to get America back on it`s feet,and put Americans back to work.... As Rush "the druggie" Limbaugh says, "he wants Obama to fail", which also means that he wants America to fail,...
Limbaugh`s twisted thinking figures if there`s failure on Obama`s economic agenda, then in 2012`, the country will dump Obama for a republican "zombie'.....
April 16, 2009 12:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Despite all of the comments stating how this shows Al Franken should be certified, I am impressed with how weak the results are.
One in three Minnesotans still believe Coleman should challenge the election results,
Only four of ten Minnesotans believe the Governor should sign a certificate of election, and
Only one in two Minnesotans believe that there is a malevolent motive for Coleman, and the Republican Party's foot-dragging.
And isn't Coleman facing charges that his wife was paid for a 'no show' job? Did that just vanish?
Who would have thought Jesse Ventura would emerge as a Minnesota statesman?
April 16, 2009 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to be too much of a nitpicker, but saying that "full representation in the U.S. Senate is not a luxury -- it is a constitutional right afforded to all Americans" sounds kinda funny to us DC residents...
April 16, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
johnb,
You misread the article. It said that only four out of ten Minnesotans DON'T believe the Governor should sign a certificate of election.
April 16, 2009 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink