Seriously, the level of antipathy for all those ridiculous lawsuits that accomplished nothing except keeping our second senator from taking his earned seat for over six months is extremely high, even among those who voted for Coleman.  The ethics investigation would be the nail in the coffin if it turned up anything.

That said, I do really like both Mark Dayton and R.T. Rybak.  Not sure about Kelliher, but if she helped organize the transit bill veto override, then she's great by me as well.

It wasn't Norm.

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/ 2009/07/coleman-hurt-by-recount.html

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/P PP_Release_Minnesota_709.pdf

I'm looking at the same numbers and thinking that Coleman looks pretty good.  

He would probably have a clear field in the primary when the Dems would not, and he could raise a ton of money.  

It's not hard to present the appeals process as an attempt to make every vote count on the part of the GOP.  It's also a purple state.

He wouldn't have the burden of George W in a governor's race nor foreign policy issues.  At a time when many are worried about expanding government Coleman could run as more fiscally conservative and not a tax raiser.  

Of course if he's caught in a deepening ethics controversy he is done.