““In the Senate, contested elections have delayed the seating of senators in the past, most recently in 2008, in an extremely close race between Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who was ultimately declared the winner, and Sen. Norm Coleman, the Republican who lost.” — CNN analysis by Zachary B. Wolf, Oct. 31, 2026”
The claim: ““In the Senate, contested elections have delayed the seating of senators in the past, most recently in 2008, in an extremely close race between Democratic Sen. Al Franken, who was ultimately declared the winner, and Sen. Norm Coleman, the Republican who lost.” — CNN analysis by Zachary B. Wolf, Oct. 31, 2026”
Why we rated it this way: The Senate's table of contested elections ends with the 2008 Minnesota race, Norm Coleman v. Al Franken, resolved June 30, 2009, with Franken seated. Its note says Franken took the oath on July 7, 2009, about six months after the new Congress began in January, which is the delay CNN describes. No later contested Senate election appears in the table, so CNN's “18 years” framing holds.
See the evidenceWhat would change our rating: A Senate record of a later contested election that held up a senator's seating would move this to Contradicted.
Our read
The Senate's table of contested elections ends with the 2008 Minnesota race, Norm Coleman v. Al Franken, resolved June 30, 2009, with Franken seated. Its note says Franken took the oath on July 7, 2009, about six months after the new Congress began in January, which is the delay CNN describes. No later contested Senate election appears in the table, so CNN's “18 years” framing holds.
Broadcast
Picture to come
Oct 31, 2026, 11:05 PM CDT
Sources
Script
Narration script. If a face or a voice delivers this, the anchor is synthetic.
Late Check. CNN says the last time a contested Senate race delayed a senator's seating was the 2008 Minnesota race between Al Franken and Norm Coleman. The Senate's own list of contested elections ends with that case, and Franken wasn't sworn in until July 2009. Verdict: matches the record.
Corrections
None on file.