Half of Minnesotans Want Coleman to Concede

Nearly half of Minnesotans believe Republican Norm Coleman, who is fighting to retain his seat in the Senate, should abandon his quest for reelection, according to a new, independent poll released Friday.

44 percent of Minnesotans said in a SurveyUSA poll that Coleman should concede his reelection bid to Democrat Al Franken. 31 percent of voters would opt to hold a new election, while eight percent said they preferred another recount in the long-contested race.

Neither Franken nor Coleman had taken office when the Senate swore in new members on Tuesday. The Minnesota Board of Canvassers has certified Franken as the race’s winner, though Coleman–technically no longer a Senator pending the resolution of the election–has filed a challenge to the results.

Minnesota voters were closely split on Coleman’s decision to contest the election results. 49 percent of those surveyed said they disagreed with the decision, while 42 percent expressed support for Coleman’s challenge.

Both Franken and Coleman, however, face declining approval ratings in the midst of their nasty fight to claim the state’s Senate seat.

38 percent said they viewed Coleman favorably, compared to 44 percent who viewed him unfavorably. Franken won a favorable opinion from 37 percent of voters, and a 45 percent unfavorable assessment.

Minneapolis television news station KSTP, which released the poll exclusively, did not immediately make clear when the poll had been conducted, or its margin of error.