Franken Replacement Won't Be Named Monday
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A replacement for U.S. Senator Al Franken won't be named on Monday, according to WCCO's Pat Kessler.
Sen. Al Franken resigned from his seat last Thursday amid allegations from multiple women of sexual harassment and sexual impropriety. He didn't give an exact date in his resignation speech, but said it would be in the coming weeks.
Governor Mark Dayton is in charge of picking a replacement for Franken until the midterm elections in November of 2018.
Franken US Senate Replacement Update: MN @GovMarkDayton out of town Monday, no announcement expected until Tuesday at the earliest.
— Patrick Kessler (@PatKessler) December 10, 2017
Kessler reported Sunday that a decision on his replacement won't come until at least Tuesday. Gov. Dayton is out of town on Monday, and no announcement is expected.
Senator Amy Klobuchar was asked Sunday about who will take Senator Al Franken's seat. Klobuchar said that Franken told her personally that he plans on stepping down by the end of the year.
She wouldn't say who she prefers to take Franken's spot, but says she trusts Gov. Dayton to make the right decision. She also believes that future sexual harassment allegations involving lawmakers shouldn't be looked at as the same.
"Senator Franken resigned because he felt he could no longer support Minnesota. And it wasn't an easy day for anyone -- those that support him and those that didn't. I think each case should be looked at on a case by case basis," Klobuchar said.
Klobuchar believes Gov. Dayton will make a decision on Franken's replacement within the next few days.
Lt. Gov. Tina Smith has been a name floated to replace Franken. Congressman Keith Ellison and state Sen. Melisa Franzen of Edina are also names political experts think could be on a short list.