Al Franken is a Big Fat Republican Fundraising Target, and Other Observations

Even though the Minnesota Supreme Court threw Norm Coleman a proverbial lifeline, it appears to be hair thin and silly string strong. While Fmr. Senator Coleman has won a challenge to have some 4800 ballots reexamined, the standards set up by the court mean that fewer than a handful are likely to count, and chances are that Coleman will not win them all.

With his probability of victory so small, why is Coleman still challenging Al Franken for this Senate Seat? The answer lies probably with the villification of Franken on the other side of the aisle. Franken is to Republicans as Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh are to Democrats. With him in the Senate, he will raise plenty of money for Republicans across the nation. He raises even more money if his election appears illegitimate. For Coleman, questioning Franken's win not only keeps him in his party's good graces should he run for another office (Open Governor seat in 2010?) but also assures him some private sector job in a Republican-allied interest group or counsultancy firm.

Meanwhile, Minnesota has but one senator. And while I relish any opportunity to stick it to a state that produces a team like the Vikings, what are the political and philosophical consequences of that penalty?