Breaking Down The Norm

Jennifer Rubin looks at Norm Coleman's record and his prospects in aught-eight at National Review Online:

Just this month Coleman and Johnny Isakson sponsored the "Hope Offered through Principled and Ethical Stem Cell Research" bill as an alternative to the Democrats' attempt to revive the embryonic stem-cell-research bill that President Bush previously vetoed. Coleman explains that he is both "pro-life and pro-science" and that his motivation was to "move beyond the culture wars" by passing a bill that would promote stem-cell research that did not involve embryo destruction. The bill passed 70-28.

Despite these conservative positions, the entirety of Coleman's votes over the last five years indicate a more moderate record, perhaps more in keeping with his constituency. Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of The Cook Political Report, traces his National Journal rankings (which track a wide range of votes), noting the contrast between his first-year conservative rating of 61 percent and his present rating of 53.8 percent. In 2006 he adhered more closely to the center than all but a few senators, earning on a 50-percent conservative ranking on foreign and economic policy and 58 percent on social issues. The Club for Growth, which looks at a broad range of economic issues, ranked him 48th and 49th among senators in 2005 and 2006; his ranking suffered from his votes against ANWAR and in favor of the 2005 Transportation Department funding bill.

Of course any story on politics in Minnesota has to include a quote from the always available Larry Jacobs:

Coleman's best hope may be to draw Franken as his opponent. According to Professor Lawrence Jacobs of the University of Minnesota, "A Franken candidacy would give the senator the opportunity to frame the election as a referendum on his opponent." Duffy observes that Franken may be too "over the top" and reminiscent of Jesse Ventura, who began as a beloved populist but proved to be an ongoing embarrassment to sober minded Minnesotans.

And to drunken minded ones as well.