Norm Coleman

Norm Coleman: It's Really Nice When 'Nobody Is Trying To Kill You Politically Today'

Eric Kleefeld | November 18, 2009, 3:55PM

Fmr. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)

Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), now a visiting fellow at Harvard's Institute of Politics, told the Harvard Crimson that being out of politics right now has some benefits.

Coleman, who very narrowly lost re-election to Democrat Al Franken in a race that involved a recount and six months of litigation, was asked by the Crimson about the possibility of running for governor in 2010:

"I'm not going to make that decision for a little bit. I thought it was important to step away from the political process. It's really nice waking up in the morning and reading the paper and realizing that nobody is trying to kill you politically today. I'm a public servant at heart, but I haven't made a final decision on whether being the governor is the best way to do that."

(Via Minnesota Independent)

Norm Coleman

Poll: Norm Coleman Is Frontrunner For GOP Nomination For Governor Of Minnesota

Eric Kleefeld | November 16, 2009, 5:23PM

Fmr. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)

A new Rasmussen poll in Minnesota finds that former Sen. Norm Coleman is far and away the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for governor of Minnesota in 2010 -- even though he's not actually in the race at this time.

The numbers: Coleman 50%, former state House Minority Leader Mary Seifert 11%, and other candidates in single digits.

The Democratic race is a tie between Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and former Sen. Mark Dayton at 30% each, with other candidates in single digits.

Coleman, of course, lost the heavily-litigated 2008 Minnesota Senate race to Democrat Al Franken. Coleman had initially led by 206 votes before the recount, out of about 2.9 million ballots cast, but the recount result put Franken ahead by 225 votes. Coleman contested the election in court, putting the Senate seat in legal limbo for six months, with Franken finally winning by a certified margin of 312 votes.