<oll conducted by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune had Democratic comedian and writer Al Franken receiving 39 percent of likely voters, compared with Republican Senator Norm Coleman with 36 percent, while Independent Party candidate Dean Barkley received 18 percent. The poll was conducted last week, and sampled 1,049 likely voters, and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percent.
In the midst of what has already been a bitter, heated race, the houses of several Minnesota politicians, including Coleman and Senator Amy Klobuchar, were vandalized on Wednesday. Minnesotans have complained recently about the increasingly negative nature of the campaign, and Coleman has since pledged to stop his negative TV ads.
Analysts have attributed the closeness of the race to Barkley, who, despite a small budget of only $75,000 through the past three months, has stayed in the race.
Franken’s three point lead is down from a nine point lead he held last week. Voters age 18-34 who participated in the poll voted 46 percent to 25 percent in favor of Franken. Men voted 38 percent to 35 percent in favor of Coleman, and women voted in favor of Franken 43 percent to 34 percent.