Wild Cards Create Wild Scenarios in Congressional Races
By Stuart Rothenberg, Roll Call
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008
(Excerpts)

Some Democratic operatives have been considering whether it might be necessary for Franken, or more likely the DSCC, to attack Barkley to try to pull liberal (or at least anti-Coleman) voters away from the Independence Party nominee.

But that's a risky strategy that could, in theory, benefit Coleman, and it would seem less likely if Coleman and Franken are locked in a very tight race in the final weeks of the election campaign.

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POLL: Sen. Coleman Pulls Ahead with 10-Point Lead
KSTP
Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008
(Excerpts)

Less than a month ago, Coleman lead Franken 41 to 40 in a statistical dead heat. Barkley had a remarkable 14 percent.

On Thursday, Coleman led Franken, 43 to 33 percent. Barkley does surprisingly well again, registering 19 points.

However, 25 to 30 percent of poll respondents who support each candidate now say they could still change their mind by Election Day.

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Barkley, 58, served as the director of the Minnesota Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning under Gov. Jesse Ventura. In November 2002, Ventura appointed Barkley to fill the final two months of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone's term.

The former governor said recently that Barkley is "measured minute by minute ... the effective U.S. senator in Minnesota history."