Former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson said today that Norm Coleman should consider bowing out of the U.S. Senate election dispute.
"I don't think it's winnable," said Carlson, who served from 1991-99.
He said a court fight by Coleman contesting a recount that favors Democrat Al Franken could hurt the Republican's image.
"I think there will be a tremendous amount of public anger, I think it will hurt his reputation," Carlson said. "I think he's got to get on with his life. .. At some point you've got to recognize, it is over."
Coleman spokesman Tom Erickson said the campaign did not have an immediate response to Carlson's comments. Coleman has scheduled a 3 p.m. press appearance, but the campaign has not disclosed what he will say.
Erickson said the campaign planned to file a lawsuit today over the election results.
The former governor said it will be hard for Coleman to convince the public that the process so far was unfair. Coleman recount attorneys have claimed that the Secretary of State's office, which had a seat on the Canvassing Board, had sided wrongly with Franken during the recount.
"When you've had two Republican Supreme Court justices involved in the process, you can't very well come back and say, gee, I think it's been partisanly tinged," said Carlson, referring to Chief Justice Eric Magnuson and Associate Justice G. Barry Anderson, who were appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a Republican, and also sat on the canvassing board.
