Paul Weyrich : Procedural Uncertainty in the Minnesota Senatorial Election

I am worried that the Minnesota United States Senate race in effect will be run by the United States Senate. When one has been around as long as I have, one has seen things that seem familiar. In the 1974 New Hampshire election in, one of the State's two Congressmen, Louis C. Wyman, ran for the Senate. On election night Wyman won by 355 votes but his opponent demanded a recount. After all the disputed ballots were counted, Wyman's opponent, John Durkin, was certified the winner of the Senate seat by ten votes. After another recount Wyman won by two votes. Durkin appealed to the United States Senate, which, under Article I, Section 5, of the Constitution, is the final arbiter of such disputes. The Senate Leadership declared the seat vacant. They told Governor Meldrim R. Thomson, Jr. to appoint an interim Senator. He brought back retired Senator Norris Cotton, paving the way for another Wyman-Durkin race. On August 8, 1975 a special election was held, which Durkin won. He served in the Senate until 1980.

The same scenario may happen in the Minnesota Senate race. Al Franken has lost the recount. He may well lose..... [CONTINUE]