ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Norm Coleman says he thinks any Democratic opponent other than Al Franken probably would have beaten him outright on Election Day.
Republican Coleman is trying to overturn Franken's 225-vote lead after a statewide recount of their U.S. Senate race.
Coleman told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that he's disappointed he didn't do better with voters. But he points out that several of his fellow Republican senators from Democratic-leaning states were booted by voters in November.
Coleman said he's still confident he'll win his lawsuit and end up back in the Senate.
He says he doesn't believe there's been an attempt to steal the election, but does think Franken should stop his efforts to get seated in the Senate before the legal challenge is resolved.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
