Voters Believe Al Franken’s Accusers – But Think He Should Have Stayed
A poll from the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper found that a majority of Minnesotans believe that Al Franken did grope several women — but that he should not have resigned from office. Franken stepped down earlier this month.
Of the 800 people polled statewide, 60 percent said they believe Franken groped and harassed multiple women. But only 41 percent said he should have resigned — 48 percent think she should have remained in office. That included 68 percent of Democrats and a third of Republicans.
Franken had a 58% approval rating in Minnesota before the first allegation. That put him in the top ten for senators with the highest approval ratings.
Franken had initially planned to wait for the results from a Senate ethics investigation into his conduct. But after a seventh woman came forward with an allegation that Franken groped her, Senate Democratic leaders urged Franken to resign.
Contact Ari Feldman at [email protected] or on Twitter @aefeldman
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO