Minnesota senate win for Franken
Democrat Al Franken has won the disputed 2008 Minnesota Senate race, after his Republican opponent Norm Coleman conceded victory.
On election night last November, voting machines gave Mr Coleman a narrow 215-vote lead, triggering a recount.
Mr Franken won the recount, prompting an appeal from Mr Coleman. Earlier on Tuesday, however, Minnesota's Supreme Court rejected Mr Coleman's arguments.
Mr Franken will now become the Democrats' 60th vote in the US Senate.
Sixty votes are needed to overturn attempts by the Senate minority to block legislation using a technique known as a filibuster.
Comedian
Mr Coleman fought a long legal battle to overturn the results of the recount.
His legal team argued that a number of absentee ballots had been unfairly rejected by local officials.
But the Minnesota Supreme Court rejected Mr Coleman's arguments.
"The Supreme Court has made its decision and I will abide by the results," Mr Coleman told reporters.
Mr Franken first came to prominence as a comedian, appearing on Saturday Night Live.
He later became a best-selling author and a host on the liberal Air America radio station.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid issued a statement to "congratulate Senator-elect Al Franken, the next senator from the state of Minnesota".
He added: "The people of Minnesota will now finally get the brilliant and hardworking new senator they elected in November and the full representation they deserve."
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8127589.stmPublished: 2009/06/30 20:44:00 GMT
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Micro Sez: So... we have a 60-40 Democrat majority now. It can only get uphill from here.