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Al Franken Wins US Senate Seat (so says Minnesota State Supreme Court) ST. PAUL, MN (Associated Press) -


His Republican rival could still seek federal court intervention -- but otherwise, it looks as if Democrat Al Franken will be able to be sworn-in as a U.S. senator from Minnesota.

The state's Supreme Court today said Franken is entitled to be certified as the winner of the Senate race, which has been mired in a court fight ever since the near-dead-heat finish last November.

There's no reaction yet from Franken, or from Republican Norm Coleman.

With Franken in the Senate -- and the usual backing of two independents -- Democrats will have a big enough majority to overcome Republican filibusters.

A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the earliest that Franken would be seated is next week, because the Senate is out of session for the July 4 holiday.

Franken is a former Saturday Night Live comedian who became a left-wing author and radio talker before running for the Senate.

Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's signature would be required on the election certificate before Franken can be seated. He has said he'd sign it if ordered to do so by the court. But the ruling stopped short of explicitly ordering him to do so. © Copyright 2012, Associated Press