While we’re all waiting for a decision from the Minnesota Supreme Court about the state’s ever-continuing disputed 2008 Senate race between Republican former Sen. Norm Coleman and Democratic comedian Al Franken, the national GOP is reiterating its continued support for Coleman if he appeals a much-expected defeat — and that avenues exist to stop Al Franken from being certified as the winner.
“We’ll do everything we can to support Norm as long as he has appellate remedies to pursue,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, in an interview with David Weigel.
Cornyn noted that if Franken wins the appeals, the Governor and state Secretary of State will be required to give him a certificate of election — his golden ticket into the Senate. But, Cornyn said, Coleman could potentially appeal to the Supreme Court: “The justice that’s responsible for that area — I think it’s Justice Alito — could issue a stay in the issuance of the election certificate, and it could be referred to the entire court.”
“I say all this as ‘could,'” said Cornyn, “not as ‘will or should.'”
