Al Franken Might Run Again

Senator Franken's disappeared from public life as a result of #MeToo

Senator Franken’s departure from public life post-#MeToo has divided many in the Democratic party Image by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

By Alyssa Fisher July 31, 2018

Former Sen. Al Franken said he misses his old job and hasn’t decided whether he plans to run for office again, WCCO reported Monday.

He returned to Minnesota for the dedication of a new school, marking his first public appearance in the state since resigning from the U.S. Senate in January, following allegations from more than half a dozen women expressing unwanted touching.

WCCO asked Franken if he planned to get back into politics.

“Well, see, if I say anything there you will put it in the story,” he answered. “I don’t know. I haven’t ruled it out, and I haven’t ruled it in.”

In his speech at the new Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig High School on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, Franken said he deeply missed working on Indian issues. The old school campus was made up of leaking, rodent-infested tin buildings, had heat that often failed in the winter and saw frequent sewage backups.

“[My job] means a lot to me. It was very moving for me. It was very gratifying. I put my heart in the job,” he said. “I miss the whole job. I loved that job, I loved the job as Senator. … It was very meaningful for me and bittersweet, I would like to still be there.”

Alyssa Fisher is a news writer at the Forward. Email her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter at @alyssalfisher

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