Coleman the GOP's Favorite for Minn. Governor

November 16, 2009 7:20 PM | | Comments (0)

Half of Minnesota Republicans would back Republican former Sen. Norm Coleman, should he run for governor in 2010, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports conducted Nov. 10.

Coleman, who lost a seven-month recount battle to Democrat Al Franken for Minnesota's Senate seat, has not indicated that he intends to run. But if he does, he starts with a huge lead over the rest of the GOP field among likely voters, with 50 percent of the vote. In second, at 11 percent, is state Rep. Marty Seifert, who stepped down from his post as House minority leader to run for governor.

Seifert is followed by state Rep. Laura Brod, who received 5 percent of GOP support despite withdrawing from the race for medical reasons, and state Rep. Tom Emmer who came in at 1 percent. Seven percent of likely Republican voters supported another candidate and 26 percent remain unsure. The margin of error was 5.5 percent.

There is no clear favorite on the Democratic side, with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton each garnering 30 percent of the Democratic electorate. State House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, was next with 8 percent followed by Matt Entenza, former state Rep. and minority leader from 2003 to 2006, at 6 percent.

Five percent of likely Democratic voters support another candidate and 20 percent are undecided. The margin of error was 5 percent.

The open seat governor's race has attracted a crowd on both sides of the aisle. Incumbent Tim Pawlenty announced in June that he would not run for a third term and instead exploring a 2012 presidential run.

More from CQ Politics

Categories: Rasmussen Reports

Tags: Brod, Coleman, Dayton, Emmer, Entenza, Governor, Kelliher, Minnesota, Pawlenty, Ryback, Siefert

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