Al Franken wins Senate nomination
1 of 4. Democratic senatorial candidate Al Franken (front) celebrates after he received the Democratic Party endorsement during the 2008 Minnesota State DFL convention in the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota, June 7, 2008.
Credit: Reuters/Eric Miller
MINNEAPOLIS |
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Al Franken, a comedian and former liberal radio talk show host, won the Democratic nomination on Tuesday to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota.
In the November election, he will face incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and the Independence Party's Dean Barkley, who also won their nominating contests, according to returns from the state's primary election.
Franken, who once starred on the late-night sketch comedy program "Saturday Night Live," outran six opponents, taking 66 percent of the vote, with more than half the returns counted.
Coleman had only token opposition. Barkley, who was appointed briefly to the U.S. Senate by former third-party Gov. Jesse Ventura after Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash in 2002, topped a field of seven candidates.
Minnesota is one of several battleground states as Democrats try to maintain or expand their slim control over the U.S. Senate.
(Reporting by Michael Conlon; Editing by Peter Cooney)
- Tweet this
- Link this
- Share this
- Digg this
- Reprints
Entertainment News From the Wrap
Whitney Houston's Death Won't Stop 'Waiting to Exhale' Sequel
"It isn't inconceivable" that Oprah Winfrey could step in for Whitney Houston on "Waiting to Exhale" sequel, Fox 2000's Elizabeth Gabler says
Netflix's 'Lilyhammer' and Hulu's 'Battleground' Rely Too Heavily on Tried and True
Review: The two web services are taking on traditional television, but HBO and Showtime have little to fear in "Battleground" and "Lilyhammer"
'Titanic 3D' Docking for Special Valentine's Day Screenings
Lucky ticket-holders can swoon over Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in glorious multi-dimensionality in "Titanic 3D"
Chris Pine's Former Agency Sues 'Star Trek' Star for Commissions
In a very personal lawsuit, Chris Pine's former agency, SDB Partners, demands payment for "Star Trek" and "Jack Ryan" films, among others
Follow Reuters