Will Al Franken run again?

Why the disgraced senator might just follow in Anthony Weiner's footsteps and try to jump back into politics

Al Franken.
(Image credit: AP Photo/Jim Mone)

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) is officially stepping down. In a Wednesday speech, the senator ended speculation that he would not actually follow through on his promise to resign in the face of multiple allegations of unwanted and inappropriate sexual contact, both from before and during his political career. On Jan. 2, he'll relinquish his senate seat, to be replaced by Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith (D).

Franken's resignation will not change the balance of power in the Senate, but it will change the dynamics of 2018. Minnesota was once a true-blue state, but it has been trending redder and redder over time, going from on average 15 points more Democratic than the country in presidential contests during the period from 1976 to 1988, to being less than 4 points more Democratic than the country on average during the period from 2000 through 2012 — and being marginally less-Democratic than the national popular vote in 2016. Democrats will now have to defend both Senate seats as well as the governorship; they'll also be fighting in five competitive House elections, three for seats held by Democrats, two for seats held by Republicans.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Noah Millman

Noah Millman is a screenwriter and filmmaker, a political columnist and a critic. From 2012 through 2017 he was a senior editor and featured blogger at The American Conservative. His work has also appeared in The New York Times Book Review, Politico, USA Today, The New Republic, The Weekly Standard, Foreign Policy, Modern Age, First Things, and the Jewish Review of Books, among other publications. Noah lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.