US Senate complete as court backs disputed November election (Roundup)

Jun 30, 2009, 21:00 GMT

Washington - A nearly eight-month dispute over Minnesota's US Senate seat ended Tuesday, as the state's highest court sanctioned the wafer-thin election victory of Democratic candidate Al Franken.

Closely watched nationwide, the Minnesota win gives Democrats 60 seats in the 100-member US Senate. The upper chamber's rules traditionally set a three-fifths threshold to bring most measures to a vote, which often forces the party in control of the Senate to make compromises with minority members to reach the super-majority.

President Barack Obama in a statement said he looked forward to working with senator-elect Franken on health care, energy and other issues in the coming years.

In the final tally, Franken, a former comedian, won by 312 votes out of 2.9 million votes cast over incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman.

Coleman was originally declared the victor in the November 2008 election. But the close vote prompted an automatic recount, and Franken emerged the winner in January, triggering a series of court challenges.

The Minnesota Supreme Court said that Franken's victory should be certified by the state. Coleman said he would not appeal.

'The Supreme Court of Minnesota has spoken. I respect its decision, and I will abide by its result,' Coleman said in brief remarks to reporters in Minnesota.