Poll: Franken and Dayton Losing Support Among Minnesota Voters

Support appears to be crumbling among constituents of Senator Al Franken (D-MN) and Minnesota Democratic Governor Mark Dayton, according to new poll data posted from Public Opinion Strategies this week that the Minnesota GOP is touting. 

The statewide survey of 600 likely Minnesota voters, conducted between March 3 and 5, shows “fewer than half of Minnesotans (48%) want Al Franken to remain their US Senator.” The data also shows that only a “slim majority of Minnesotans” (51%) want Dayton to remain as their governor.

Both Democratic politicians lost considerable support among independent voters. Only 43% percent of independents think that Franken deserves re-election, and 49% support another candidate for Franken’s seat. Dayton only has 48% of independents’ support, while 47% of that group wants someone else in office. 

Minnesota Republicans seem elated by the news, particularly since Franken won his first election in 2009 by only 312 votes as a result of a controversial re-count against then-GOP incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman. In the meantime, the Minnesota Democrat has spent more than $15 million dollars this cycle, National Journal reported recently, which turns his race into one of the more expensive elections this year.