Franken takes lead in Minnesota Senate race

Hold off for now at least, in calling for a Norm Colemen re-election celebration.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune has more:

The intense scrutiny of "voter intent" resumed this morning by a five-member board charged with directing Minnesota's recount in the U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic rival Al Franken, and the first 90 minutes of ballot rulings turned the challenger's slight deficit into a growing triple-digit lead.

On Thursday, the State Canvassing Board reviewed Coleman's challenges of hundreds of Election Day ballots, and the day's work saw the unofficial margin between the candidates dwindle to within a handful of votes.

As the board, headed by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, took up and rejected more Coleman challenges today, Franken pulled ahead in the opening minutes and steadily built his advantage beyond 150 within the first two hours.

Moments after Franken took the lead, Coleman campaign spokesman Mark Drake said in a statement: "While varying headlines and a flurry of different numbers will continue, we encourage everyone to just hang on until the process is finished. When it is finished, Norm Coleman will still lead, and we believe, be re-elected to the United States Senate."

Franken, a mean-spirited, truth challenged former comedian would lower the standards of the US Senate. But as has been proven in Illinios, voters can make bad decisions at the polling place. See Blagojevich, Rod.

Technorati tags: politics Democrats election Republicans Minnesota Norm Coleman Al Franken Minneapolis DFL