Republicans are dead set on keeping Al Franken out of the Senate for as long as possible. The most recent proof? National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn told POLITICO that the seat will be empty for “years“:

Texas Sen. John Cornyn is threatening “World War III” if Democrats try to seat Al Franken in the Senate before Norm Coleman can pursue his case through the federal courts.

Cornyn, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, acknowledges that a federal challenge to November’s elections could take “years” to resolve. But he’s adamant that Coleman deserves that chance — even if it means Minnesota is short a senator for the duration.

Jeff Rosenberg over at MNPublius asks Should national Republicans decide when we get full representation?

I have been very supportive of letting this entire process play out in the interest of transparency, but enough is enough. Once a candidate is determined to be the winner by Minnesota courts, Minnesotans have the right to be represented by the candidate they’ve elected. We have the right to full representation in Congress.

Similarly, Jason Arvak asks Norm to Give It Up:

The legal game won’t work and Coleman should stop trying..

Coleman’s defeat and withdrawal is what social scientists call “overdetermined” at this point. But by choosing to accept that fact sooner rather than later, Coleman can at least potentially reserve some chance fro Republicans to recover in the future.

Give it up, Senator Coleman.

Alliance for a Better Minneosta and other groups in the state have organized a letter writing campaign to ask former Senator Norm Coleman to stop standing in the way of the change Minnesotans voted for last November.

Take a minute to tell Norm Coleman it’s time to let the healing begin.