Sep 6, 2008 6:36 pm US/Central
Franken, Coleman To Face Challengers Tuesday
(WCCO)
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There are 18 candidates that have filed for the primary, including seven on the DFL side and two republicans. (File)
CBS News
With an election day just a few days away, state officials worry it could get lost in the shuffle of the State Fair and Republican National Convention.
Minnesotans will head to the polls on Tuesday for the state's primary election. Everything from Supreme Court justices to county commissioners will be decided on, but it's the race for U.S. Senate that continues to get the most attention.
It's been a summer full of ads and handshakes, but on Tuesday the senate race will be narrowed once and for all.
There are 18 candidates that have filed for the primary, including seven on the DFL side and two republicans.
WCCO caught up with Al Franken Saturday afternoon at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. Volunteers were there to meet before knocking on thousands of doors.
Franken is the endorsed DFL candidate, but Priscilla Lord Faris said she decided to run because she thinks Franken can't beat Norm Coleman in November. Franken has stayed focused on November's election, spending the weekend to make one more push ahead of Tuesday's primary.
"My focus is on Norm. I have six, I believe six opponents in the primary. I look forward to winning that, and all our attention really is on making the distinctions between me and Norm very clear," said Franken.
It's a different approach from Priscilla Lord Faris, who was on Christmas Lake visiting her parents.
"I just feel like we have a lot of people who are very supportive of my campaign," she said.
If Faris doesn't win, she will be finished. There can only be one person from each party on the ballot in November.
Coleman faces one primary challenger who filed to run but moved to Italy.
There's also a hot race within the Independence Party. Stephen Williams is the endorsed candidate. He faces two well-known opponents: former Senator Dean Barkley and former party chairman Jack Uldrich.
The Secretary of State's Office is predicting a low turnout, but they are already planning for a big night November 4th.
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