Al Franken groping charges affects Minnesota governor's race

Minnesota GOP calls for Democratic candidate to return senator’s campaign donations

Democratic Sen. Al Franken’s sexual misconduct woes became a campaign issue in the Minnesota governor’s race this week as new allegations of groping two more women surfaced and the senator himself issued a new statement Thursday.

The Minnesota Republican Party moved to link Mr. Franken to Rep. Tim Walz, a leading candidate for the gubernatorial nod of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party next year, faulting him for refusing to return $54,000 inFranken campaign donations made over the last decade.

“Tim Walz is standing by Al Franken, keeping his campaign cash and refusing to call on him to resign,” said the Minnesota GOP in a statement. “This comes as other high-profile Democrats have already promised to return the Franken campaign cash.”

The two leading female candidates for the DFL nomination for governor — state Rep. Erin Murphy and state auditor Rebecca Otto — last week called for Mr. Franken to step down after a photo showing him apparently groping a sleeping Leeann Tweeden in 2006 went public.

Adding to the pressure on Mr. Franken was the announcement Tuesday that two Minnesota state legislators, DFL state Sen. Dan Schoen and GOP state Rep. Tony Cornish, plan to resign in the aftermath of sexual harassment allegations.

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