Mid-term elections are still a political eternity away, but early polling is looking good for Minnesota Senator Al Franken. He leads Norm Coleman, who has already said he won’t challenge Franken for the seat, by a comfortable margin. A Franken-Bachmann matchup is even more lopsided. Franken can’t be considered a beloved political figure in Minnesota, but he may benefit from a weak Republican bench that can’t seem to field likeable or organized candidates. Pawlenty may be a possibility, but I doubt he’ll be interested in giving up a lucrative private sector gig for an opportunity to re-introduce himself to fickle Minnesota voters. Like Amy Klobuchar, Franken may be able to cruise to reelection with a big assist from an inept and talent-starved state GOP.
