Republicans Shell Out to Fight Franken

After President Obama slipped a bill through Congress with just three Republicans’ support, the GOP is digging in to prevent a 59th Democrat from taking Minnesota's contested Senate seat. Al Franken currently leads the interminable race by 225 votes, but Republicans are pouring cash into Norm Coleman’s legal bid to prevent Franken from being seated, Politico reports. Coleman should keep fighting for “however long it takes,” said one GOP senator.

“He feels like he owes it to the voters of Minnesota and his colleagues here. He realizes how important retaining that seat is to us,” said Sen. John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. At a fundraiser for Coleman this week, PAC hosts each paid $5,000 and individual hosts paid $2,300 each; Senate and House minority leaders have each given Coleman as much as they’re allowed to.
(More Senate stories.)