Franken Wins Minn. Primary

Funnyman sees off challenger who turned his own jokes against him

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 10, 2008 7:19 AM CDT

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Franken Wins Minn. Primary — Al Franken is framed by the Seal of the State of Minnesota before announcing on his radio show that he will run for U.S. Senate in 2008, in Minneapolis, Minn. in this Feb. 14, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt, Pool, File)

Al Franken won Minnesota's Democratic Senate primary last night, the Hill reports. The former funnyman had almost 70% of the vote with two-thirds of precincts reporting. The state party-endorsed Franken saw off a late challenge from attorney Priscilla Lord Faris, who used some of Franken's crude jokes of the past as ammunition against him.

Faris had sought to raise questions about the radio host's suitability for office and his appeal to the Democratic base. Franken will now face Republican Norm Coleman and Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley in what promises to be one of the most expensive and toughest-fought Senate races in the country.
(More Al Franken stories.)

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