Coleman Concedes

Coleman Concedes

Ending an eight-month legal battle, Republican Norm Coleman conceded Tuesday to Democrat Al Franken in the Minnesota Senate race after the state's high court ruled that Franken should be certified as the winner.

Though Coleman could have tried to take the case to the federal Supreme Court, he told reporters outside his home in St. Paul that continuing to drag out his challenge would hurt his state.

"I just had a conversation with Al Franken congratulating him on his victory," Coleman said. "The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken. I respect its decision and I will abide by its result. ...We have reached the point where further litigation damages the unity of our state."

Coleman, though, said he had no "regrets" about his prolonged legal challenge to this point -- which has kept the Democratic Party one seat short of a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority for months.

Democrats applauded the state Supreme Court's decision Tuesday afternoon and welcomed the former "Saturday Night Live" comedian to the halls of Congress.

President Obama, in a written statement released moments after Coleman conceded, said he looks forward to working with Franken to "build a new foundation for growth and prosperity by lowering health care costs and investing in the kind of clean energy jobs and industries that will help America lead in the 21st century."

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty also issued a statement saying in light of the court decision and Coleman's announcement he would sign the election certificate Tuesday certifying Franken as the winner. He thanked Coleman for his service, calling him an "extraordinary leader," and congratulated Franken.

In a signal of Coleman's dimming legal prospects, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously Tuesday that Franken should be certified.

"We affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under (Minnesota law) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota," the court wrote in its 5-0 ruling.

With Franken and the usual backing of two independents, Democrats will have a big enough majority to overcome Republican filibusters.

The earliest Franken would be seated is next week because the Senate is out of session for the July 4 holiday, said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

The election certificate also requires the signature of Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. Ritchie, a Democrat, said he was ready to sign it "as soon as the governor issues it."

The court's ruling stopped short of explicitly ordering the governor to sign the document, saying only that Franken was "entitled" to it.

Coleman's appeal hinged largely on whether thousands of absentee votes had been unfairly rejected by local election officials around the state.

The unanimous court wrote that "because the legislature established absentee voting as an optional method of voting, voters choosing to use that method are required to comply with the statutory provisions."

They went on to say that "because strict compliance with the statutory requirements for absentee voting is, and always has been required, there is no basis on which voters could have reasonably believed that anything less than strict compliance would suffice."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/30/minnesota-high-court- rules-franken-senate-battle/