Harry Reid: Minnesota Race Is "Over"

By: Jill Jackson
Topics: Congress

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared a winner in the Minnesota Senate Race between Republican Senator Norm Coleman and Al Franken today. At a news conference following a bipartisan meeting with President-elect Barack Obama, Reid said, "The race in Minnesota's over. Now it's only a little finger-pointing."

When asked for reaction to Reid's statement, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said it is "safe to say the election in Minnesota is not over."

A Minnesota Canvassing Board declared Franken the winner today by 225 votes. However, Coleman still has seven days to file a lawsuit protesting the results and Franken will not get an official election certificate until all lawsuits are gone.

Reid also said that he will not swear-in Illinois Governor Blagojevich's pick to fill Obama's vacant Senate seat. He said, "at this stage we're waiting to see what's going to happen in Illinois."

Jill Jackson
Jill Jackson is a CBS News senior political producer.
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by hillarynow January 6, 2009 3:01 AM EST: Congrats to Senator Franken on his hard fought honorable battle to represent the good people of Minnesota. The US Senate will a better place now that Al Franken is on board and the Republicans have deservedly lost yet another seat. In fact, Al Franken, is as qualified and as able as anyone in the political scene to be president. I''d like to see him run, I''d like to see him be president some day. As president, it''s about service, service for the greatest country on the face of the Earth and the honor that goes with it. I think Al Franken fits that description.; Reply to this comment