Minnesota Race For U.S. Senate Over

As has been clear for months, Democrat Al Franken has defeated incumbent Norm Coleman (who has finally conceded) in the three way race for U.S. Senate by a little more than 300 votes, after a unanimous Minnesota Supreme Court rejected his election challenge. The decision comes about a week short of eight months after the election, and almost six months after the U.S. Senate convened in 2009. The Senate had the power to resolve the contested election, but refrained from doing so.

Franken will give Democrats a sixty vote filibuster proof majority in the U.S. Senate (although filibuster voters are rarely decided on straight party lines), something that will help President Obama win approval for is judicial nominees and help Democrats win approval for legislative priorities like health care reform (if they choose to exercise their power).

Franken's win appears to be the final piece Democrats needs to move the pro-union Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) with swift (five to seven days from card submission) unionization elections in lieu of the controversial but not terribly important "card check" provision which would dispese with unionization elections if a majority of employees signed pro-union petitions in advance.