Though not formally on the list of toss-up states for Senate control, FoxNews Politics indicates that Minnesota is well within the crosshairs of the Republican Party as it looks to pick off a couple key Democrat incumbent senators.
Franken’s Republican opponent, Mike McFadden, is taking aim at Franken’s record and looking to exploit the fact that 54% of Minnesotans do not approve of Barack Obama.
McFadden’s spokesman explained, “We see that [Franken] is clearly afraid. This race is much closer than people realize.” And Franken’s spokesman agreed, “We’ve always known this was going to be a tough race and it’s clear we’ve got one.”
According to recent polls, Franken leads McFadden by 8 or 9 points, and the RealClearPolitics average puts the lead at 8. But as Obama’s number continue to slide, tagging Franken to the president may pull his numbers down as well.
If the margin between the candidates drops to 5 points, voter turnout could determine the outcome. Larry Jacobs of the University of Wisconsin explained, “Obama’s approval rating continues to sag. That certainly doesn’t help Franken. There’s a genuine concern from Democrats who are candid about turnout. I think those things could help McFadden.”
Though the race remains on the edge of potential Republican pick-up states, much can change in the 7 weeks remaining until election day.
